Los Angeles Lakers Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Optimism LeBron James Could Return Before Regular Season Ends

March 23rd, 2023 at 1:48pm CST by Rory Maher

1:48pm: James sent out a tweet saying he was not reevaluated today and there’s no target date for his return. He added that he’s “working around the clock” to give himself the “best chance of coming back full strength,” whenever that might be. However, he did not dispute that he was optimistic about returning before the regular season ends.

12:46pm: The Lakers announced on Thursday that LeBron James has started on-court work, but there’s no specific timeline for his return (Twitter link via Brad Turner of The Los Angeles Times).

However, according to reports from Shams Charania of The Athletic, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, and Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report (All Twitter links), James is optimistic he could return in the final week of the regular season and play a few games. Head coach Darvin Ham previously said the Lakers expected James to return before the season ended.

As Kyle Goon of The Southern California News Group notes (via Twitter), the Lakers play at Houston and at the Clippers on April 4 and 5, followed by home games against the Suns and Jazz on April 7 and 9. Goon believes the final three games are logic target dates for James, as they’re all in Los Angeles.

James last played on February 26 against Dallas after sustaining a foot injury. On March 2, he was diagnosed with a tendon injury in his right foot and was scheduled to be reevaluated in three weeks, hence today’s update.

Bolstered by trade deadline additions and strong play from Anthony Davis and Austin Reaves, among others, the Lakers have gone 7-5 since James went down with the injury. They’re currently 36-37, the No. 10 seed in the West, but the standings remain extremely tight — only one game separates the Nos. 7-12 seeds.

Getting the team’s leading scorer, second-leading rebounder and top assist man back would obviously be beneficial for the Lakers in their effort to make the playoffs. James, 38, has been limited to 47 games this season, but continues to play at a very high level, averaging 29.5 points, 8.4 rebounds and 6.9 assists in 36.1 minutes per night

Lakers Notes: Reaves, Russell, LeBron, Davis, M. Leonard

March 23rd, 2023 at 12:31pm CST by Arthur Hill

After scoring a career-high 35 points Sunday night, Austin Reaves was rewarded with a spot in the Lakers‘ starting lineup, writes Dan Woike of The Los Angeles Times. With two days off between games, coach Darvin Ham and his staff had time to prepare Reaves for starting duties as he took the place of Malik Beasley. Woike notes that it’s Ham’s first change to the starting unit since the trade deadline that wasn’t forced by injuries.

Reaves delivered 25 points and a career-best 11 assists in his first start since January 4 as the Lakers topped the Suns to move into a tie for ninth in the Western Conference playoff race.

“It’s going to be hectic,” Reaves said of the competition for postseason spots. “But this is why you play the game. You want high-pressure moments and you really want to play under the lights.”

There’s more on the Lakers:

D’Angelo Russell says he’s “at peace” after returning to the Lakers in a trade last month, but he’ll also be able to adjust if his long-term future isn’t in L.A., according to Helene Elliott of The Los Angeles Times. Russell, who has provided a scoring spark, topped 25 points Wednesday for the fourth time in his 11 games with the team. He’s enjoying the chance to display how much he has grown as a player and a person since L.A. drafted him in 2015, but he also knows more change could be coming in a few months. “I’m a free agent this summer. I’ve been traded midseason, so to get comfortable somewhere it’s not easy for me,” he said. “So, until I am, I won’t be comfortable. I won’t feel like it’s home.”
LeBron James will have his right foot tendon injury reevaluated this week, but there’s still no set timetable for him to return, per Jovan Buha of The Athletic. Ham believes the team is benefiting by responding to challenges with James sidelined. “Bron, with him being out, it’s revealed that we have a lot of different weapons that are very capable players on both sides of the ball that can help us achieve the goal we’re trying to achieve,” he said. “And when he comes back, he’s just going to add to it.”
Buha notes that the medical staff still considers the right foot stress condition that caused Anthony Davis to miss 20 games earlier this season to be an “active injury,” and it hasn’t been decided whether he’ll play in both games of the team’s lone remaining back-to-back on April 4 and 5.
Sources tell Buha that the Lakers were interested in signing Meyers Leonard, who worked out with them in January, before he joined the Bucks. L.A. is opting to keep its open roster spot for now after workouts with Tristan Thompson and Tony Bradley earlier this week.

Ham Confirms Bradley, Thompson Worked Out

March 21st, 2023 at 8:35pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Centers Tristan Thompson and Tony Bradley worked out for the Lakers on Monday, Darvin Ham confirmed, but the head coach said there’s no “imminent” plan to sign either to the team’s final roster spot, Kyle Goon of the Orange County Register tweets.

The Lakers wanted to make sure that if they feel the need to sign another player, they’ve already worked him out, Ham explained. Los Angeles could have a need for another big since Mohamed Bamba may miss the rest of the regular season with a high left ankle sprain.

AD Expected To Play Final Back-To-Back In April

March 20th, 2023 at 6:16pm CST by Rory Maher

Lakers star Anthony Davis is expected to play in both games of the team’s final back-to-back set in early April, Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report said on his #thisleague UNCUT podcast with Marc Stein (Twitter link via Fox Sports Radio). According to Haynes, Davis was given the option of either playing last week’s back-to-back at New Orleans (a win with Davis) and at Houston (a loss without him), or the back-to-back set on April 4th and 5th at Utah and at the Clippers. He obviously chose the latter.

Lakers, Reaves Have Mutual Interest In New Deal In Offseason

March 20th, 2023 at 2:05pm CST by Luke Adams

In the wake of Austin Reaves‘ career night on Sunday, Jovan Buha of The Athletic reports that the Lakers and Reaves’ camp have mutual interest in keeping the guard in Los Angeles beyond this season.

Because Reaves only received a two-year deal from the Lakers when he signed his first standard NBA contract in 2021, he won’t become eligible to sign a contract extension before he reaches restricted free agency this summer. Additionally, the team will only hold his Early Bird rights at that time, rather than his full Bird rights.

As Buha notes, that means L.A. will be limited to offering Reaves approximately $51MM over four years if they negotiate with him directly. At one point, that would have looked like more than enough financial flexibility to bring back Reaves, but his strong play this season has increased his value. Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter video link) suggested today that the 24-year-old’s market could be in that four-year, $50MM range, if not higher.

Reaves would have the ability to sign an offer sheet with a rival team that exceeds the Lakers’ best offer. However, the Gilbert Arenas provision would apply to such an offer sheet, meaning it couldn’t exceed the Early Bird amounts in years one or two but could include a substantial third-year raise. And despite only holding Reaves’ Early Bird rights, the Lakers would have the ability to match such an offer via the Arenas provision.

As Buha observes, how Reaves performs down the stretch and possibly in the postseason will help determine how his free agency plays out. But the former Oklahoma Sooner has established himself as a reliable rotation player in his second NBA season, averaging 12.0 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 2.9 assists with an impressive .518/.380/.854 shooting line in 54 games (27.8 MPG).

For his part, Reaves doesn’t sound like someone seeking change of scenery, having expressed gratification on Sunday for the opportunity to play for the Lakers.

“It’s special,” Reaves said after scoring 35 points in a victory over Orlando, per Buha. “I mean, I grew up a Lakers fan. To do it for this organization, especially, is surreal. Sometimes I gotta stop and really think about what I am doing. … All I’m really happy about is the win.”

Pacific Notes: Reaves, M. Williams, Lue, Kings

March 20th, 2023 at 9:56am CST by Arthur Hill

He’s unlikely to get any votes, but Austin Reaves still appreciated the “MVP” chants from Lakers fans Sunday night, writes Dave McMenamin of ESPN. Reaves came off the bench to deliver 35 points in a narrow win over Orlando that lifted L.A. into a tie for ninth place in the tight Western Conference playoff race.

“For them to recognize what I do — obviously not an MVP-caliber player, those guys are really good — but for them to do that for me is special, it means a lot to me,” he said.

It was a career-high scoring night for Reaves, but it wasn’t out of character. Dan Woike of The Los Angeles Times points out that Reaves has become a dependable part of the offense since LeBron James was sidelined by a foot injury three weeks ago. He has failed to reach 13 points just once since James got hurt, and he has helped the Lakers post a 6-5 record without their star.

There’s more from the Pacific Division:

Suns coach Monty Williams indicated that rotation changes may be coming after Sunday’s loss at Oklahoma City, according to Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. Williams was frustrated after watching a double-digit lead slip away in the fourth quarter. “This one’s on me,” he said. “I’ve got to get guys in the game that can create a rhythm, especially on defense. We’re giving up way too many 30-point quarters, consecutively. That’s on me. I have to figure out the guys who can play together defensively as opposed to the starters to increase the momentum from an offensive and defensive standpoint.”
Associate head coach Dan Craig picked up his first win guiding the Clippers Sunday night, per Andrew Greif of The Los Angeles Times. Craig was filling in for head coach Tyronn Lue, who was able to coach the team on Saturday, but didn’t make the flight to Portland because of a non-COVID illness. Craig said Lue is expected “back soon.”
The Kings didn’t have shooting guard Kevin Huerter and forward Trey Lyles in Saturday’s win over Washington, and both are listed as questionable for tonight’s contest at Utah, notes Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee. Huerter has a strain in his right knee area, while Lyles is experiencing soreness in his right shoulder.

Lakers To Work Out Tristan Thompson, Tony Bradley

March 20th, 2023 at 7:44am CST by Arthur Hill

Centers Tristan Thompson and Tony Bradley are scheduled to work out for the Lakers this week, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic.

The team has an open roster spot and needs help in the middle with Mohamed Bamba possibly out for the rest of the regular season with a high left ankle sprain.

Thompson, 32, played alongside LeBron James for several years in Cleveland and was part of the Cavaliers’ title-winning team in 2016. The 11-year veteran finished last season with the Bulls, but has been a free agent after not being re-signed.

Thompson averaged 6.0 points and 5.1 rebounds for three teams in 57 games during 2021/22 and was part of one of the year’s biggest trades, being sent from the Kings to the Pacers in the Domantas Sabonis–Tyrese Haliburton swap. He signed with Chicago after reaching a buyout with Indiana.

Bradley, 25, began this season with the Bulls, but was waived last month so the team could sign Patrick Beverley. Bradley saw limited playing time in 12 games, averaging 1.6 points in 2.8 minutes per night. The six-year veteran has also played for the Jazz, Sixers and Thunder.

Jovan Buha of The Athletic tweeted last week that the Lakers were in the market for a center and were more likely to sign someone to a 10-day contract than a deal that covers the rest of the season. With only 20 days remaining in the season, L.A. could now fill that spot with consecutive 10-day contracts.

The Lakers’ search for depth at center dates back to at least mid-January when they brought in Meyers Leonard and DeMarcus Cousins for workouts. Leonard recently signed with the Bucks for the rest of the season, while Cousins remains a free agent.

LeBron Expected Back Before Regular Season Ends

March 19th, 2023 at 9:51pm CST by Dana Gauruder

LeBron James is expected to return before the end of the regular season, Lakers coach Darvin Ham told ESPN’s Dave McMenamin and other media members on Sunday.

James hasn’t played since Feb. 26 due to a tendon injury in his right foot. He was averaging 29.5 points, 8.4 rebounds and 6.9 assists prior to the injury.

“We anticipate him coming back at some point,” Ham said.

Los Angeles had gone 5-5 since James was sidelined, entering its home game against Orlando. The Lakers have 10 games remaining after Sunday’s contest.

The Lakers were 11th in the Western Conference standings prior to their game against the Magic but trail Minnesota and Utah by just a half-game.

James is expected to have his foot reevaluated by Lakers medical staff this week. He shed his walking boot a week ago.

It stands to reason James will only return if the team is still in the playoff hunt.

“I think Bron, him being out has revealed that we have a lot of different weapons that are very capable players on both sides of the ball that can help us achieve the goal that we’re trying to achieve,” Ham said. “And when he comes back, he’s just going to add to it.”

Pelicans Reportedly Came Close To Acquiring Beasley, Vanderbilt

March 19th, 2023 at 2:32pm CST by Luke Adams

Before the Jazz agreed to trade Malik Beasley and Jarred Vanderbilt to the Lakers as part of a three-team deal last month, the Pelicans came close to acquiring the duo from Utah, ESPN’s Zach Lowe said on The Lowe Post podcast this week (YouTube link).

“The Pelicans were close to getting Beasley and Vanderbilt from Utah at the trade deadline, or close-ish,” Lowe told ESPN colleague Kevin Pelton. “They had a pretty good offer on the table. It was a draft equity-based offer with a pick that maybe was not as good as the Lakers pick that they ended up trading, but pretty close, I think, from what I’ve heard.

“But one of the issues was – maybe the picks weren’t exactly equivalent – but then another issue was (Mike) Conley and the Jazz’s determination to get off of Conley (who is owed at least $14MM in 2023/24), and could the Pelicans figure that out somehow? And it became a little complicated.”

The trade that the Jazz eventually completed also included the Timberwolves, who acquired Conley and flipped D’Angelo Russell to the Lakers. Los Angeles, in turn, send a top-four protected 2027 first-round pick to Utah as part of the three-way agreement.

The Pelicans still possess all of their own future first-rounders and control a couple others, including the Lakers’ unprotected 2024 pick (which could be deferred to 2025) and the Bucks’ unprotected 2027 selection.

It’s not clear which of those first-rounders they offered to the Jazz, but based on Lowe’s comments, it’s possible the Pelicans wanted to protect the pick they were offering more heavily than the Lakers protected theirs. Or Utah may have simply liked the upside of the ’27 Lakers first-rounder more than any single pick New Orleans was willing to put on the table.

It’s also worth noting that matching salaries for Beasley and Vanderbilt (who earn a combined $20MM) using only expiring or pseudo-expiring contracts would have been nearly impossible for the Pelicans, whose prime salary-matching piece at the deadline was Devonte’ Graham ($11.55MM).

Adding either Jaxson Hayes ($6.8MM) or Garrett Temple ($5.2MM) to Graham would have been sufficient outgoing salary, but Utah likely wouldn’t have been eager to take on Graham’s guaranteed $12.1MM cap charge for 2023/24, especially without Conley involved in the swap. So the Pelicans may have offered additional draft compensation beyond a single first-rounder if Graham was part of the package.

In any case, the Jazz ultimately decided to deal with two other teams in the Western Conference playoff race rather than the Pelicans. That presumably increased the sting of missing out on Beasley and Vanderbilt for New Orleans, as Lowe and Pelton point out.

At the trade deadline, the Pelicans were in a virtual tie in the standings with the Wolves and were 3.5 games up on the Lakers. The slumping Pels – who ended up trading Graham and four second-round picks to San Antnio for Josh Richardson – now trail both teams.

Wenyen Gabriel Serves As "Spark Plug" For Lakers

March 18th, 2023 at 11:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

Wenyen Gabriel played virtually the entire fourth quarter Friday night in the Lakers‘ loss to the Mavericks, per Broderick Turner of The Los Angeles Times. Gabriel was frequently used to double team Kyrie Irving and cut down on his scoring opportunities. “He has a great, great nose for the ball,” coach Darvin Ham said. “(He had) 11 rebounds. He tries to defend, tries to protect the rim. … He’s just a spark plug, another one of our spark plugs. His size, his ability to run up and down the floor, clean up loose balls, and get offensive rebounds and putbacks. Really defends well. And he showed all of that tonight. That’s why we stayed with him.”