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Nets Notes: Bogdanovic, Simmons, Finney-Smith, Hines

November 14th, 2024 at 8:00am CST by Luke Adams

The Nets got off to a better-than-expected start under new head coach Jordi Fernandez this season, winning five of their first 11 games after entering the season with the NBA’s lowest projected win total. But they were on the wrong end of a blowout on Wednesday, falling at home to the defending champion Celtics by 25 points. As Brian Lewis of The New York Post writes, Fernandez wasn’t happy with his team’s effort.

“I’m OK with losing, but I’m not okay with, at one point in the game, not fighting,” Fernandez said. “You can never, ever, ever, quit or look defeated, whatever the case may be. We have to continue to do things the right way, and if one night the other team is better than you, then you gotta respect it. But this — flashes of not doing the right things — this is not what we want to be at all.

“And we haven’t done it. It’s just easier against adversity. Whatever you want to call ‘adversity,’ to me, it’s all excuses. The NBA, it is what it is. Everybody deals with stuff and you don’t want to be like, finding the excuse. We have more than enough to be better than this. To me, that’s plain and simple.”

Fernandez’s players didn’t disagree with his assessment.

“S–t. He just pretty much stood on business,” center Nic Claxton said when asked about his coach’s comments. “We need to play hard. That’s not the way you lose. Of course, you never want to lose games. But that’s not the way that you lose. We didn’t fight all the way through.”

Here’s more out of Brooklyn:

The Nets haven’t provided any official update on injured forward Bojan Bogdanovic, who continues to recover from offseason surgery on his foot. Lewis hears from a source that no formal update is anticipated until sometime in December, but Fernandez addressed Bogdanovic’s progress on Wednesday. “I saw him on the court shooting (Wednesday). But playing 5-on-5 and in a real game, he’s progressing well. We’re not gonna give an exact date, but he’s doing good,” the Nets’ coach said. “He’s in good spirits, he had a good week. He was with us on the road. Having him around is important because he’s a veteran. He’ll talk in huddles, he gives guys tips on what to do and his involvement is very important.”
Ben Simmons (left calf tightness) and Dorian Finney-Smith (left ankle sprain) both missed Wednesday’s game vs. Boston, with Simmons undergoing an MRI on his calf, Lewis notes. Fernandez downplayed both ailments, referring to Simmons’ MRI as “precautionary” and suggesting that the former No. 1 overall pick is day-to-day. As for Finney-Smith, Fernandez said his ankle sprain isn’t serious and the team simply wants him to be “200 percent and ready to go” before he’s cleared to return.
Kyle Hines, a former UNC Greensboro standout who had a long, successful career in Europe, winning four EuroLeague championships, has joined the Nets’ coaching staff, according to agent Misko Razanatovic on Instagram (hat tip to Eurohoops). Hines’ exact title and role in Brooklyn is unclear.

Southwest Notes: Pippen, Smart, V. Williams, Mavericks, Popovich, Wembanyama

November 13th, 2024 at 11:04pm CST by Arthur Hill

There’s extra motivation for Grizzlies point guard Scotty Pippen Jr. any time he faces the Lakers, writes Damichael Cole of The Commercial Appeal. Pippen signed a two-way contract with L.A. in 2022 after going undrafted out of Vanderbilt. He only appeared in six NBA games that season, but starred with the team’s South Bay affiliate in the G League. He returned to South Bay the following season before Memphis signed him in January of this year.

“It’s been full circle,” Pippen said. “When I was over there (in L.A.), not really much opportunity.”

The Grizzlies are 2-0 since Ja Morant was sidelined with a hip injury and Pippen took his place in the starting lineup. He’s making the most of the opportunity, posting a triple-double in his first start with 11 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists last Friday and following that with 17 points and four rebounds on Sunday.

In an interview with Mark Medina of Sportskeeda, Pippen expanded on his time with the Lakers, saying he didn’t get much feedback from the people in charge.

“I was kind of in the dark with that,” he said. “I didn’t really know what they wanted from me and what they expected from me. Once I left there, I felt like it was a feeling that they didn’t want me there and that I didn’t have a future there. I didn’t really get too much dialogue on why I wasn’t there.”

There’s more from the Southwest Division:

The Grizzlies welcomed Marcus Smart back tonight after he missed two weeks with a sprained right ankle, per Michael Wallace of Grizzlies.com (Twitter link). Vince Williams, who hasn’t played yet this season due to a stress reaction in the upper portion of his left tibia, has “looked fantastic” in workouts this week and may be ready to return Friday, Wallace adds (Twitter link).
The Mavericks need to solve their problems with late-game execution, observes Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News. The Mavs have dropped three straight games by three points or less, leaving them in 12th place in the West when they could be near the top. “In the last two minutes, we have to get better,” coach Jason Kidd said. “The last three games, the last two minutes, we’ve turned the ball over. We haven’t been rebounding the ball. We can’t maintain offensive rebounds.”
In a session with reporters before Wednesday’s game, Spurs general manager Brian Wright said coach Gregg Popovich is “doing well” in his recovery from a mild stroke, relays Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News. Wright also talked about the emotional toll on players and staff members from watching their leader deal with a medical emergency. “Coach Pop has been the leader of this organization for the last three decades, right?” Wright said. “And we all have come across or know people that just have a different aura, different presence about them, and clearly he’s one of those people. When we walk into the building each and every day, we feel that leadership, we feel that presence. And so not having him, there’s clearly a void and we miss him.”
In Wednesday’s win over Washington, Spurs star Victor Wembanyama scored 50 points for the first time in his NBA career. He’s the fourth-youngest player in league history to reach that mark, as well as the tallest, according to Michael C. Wright of ESPN.

L.A. Notes: Davis, LeBron, Koloko, George, Dunn

November 13th, 2024 at 9:52pm CST by Arthur Hill

One of J.J. Redick’s most significant changes since taking over as head coach of the Lakers has been making Anthony Davis the “hub” of the offense, write Dave McMenamin and Matt Williams of ESPN. Davis is seeing more touches than ever, which has resulted in a dramatic increase in his production. He’s averaging 30 points and 10 rebounds through nine games while shooting 55% from the field, joining Wilt Chamberlain as the only Laker to reach those marks.

“He’s done a good job of putting me in spots to be successful,” Davis said of Redick. “My teammates have done a good job of giving me the ball where I’m most comfortable. Obviously they’re encouraging me to try to go get it, but I’m still continuously trying to play the right way.”

Davis’ increased involvement has taken opportunities away from LeBron James, the authors add. Redick is stationing James off the ball more frequently, and his 24.8% usage rate would be the lowest of his career. He’s screening more often and getting the ball off screens as Redick tries to preserve James’ energy as he nears his 40th birthday.

“We’re not going to rely on LeBron James iso fourth-quarter ball,” Redick said. “Like, that’s not who our identity is going to be. So, I think it starts with the thing that was presented to the team on the first day: Here’s our identity offensively; here’s our identity defensively; and then your system should help emphasize those things. And so that’s where we’ve been particularly deliberate.”

There’s more from Los Angeles:

Christian Koloko will become the Lakers‘ backup center while Jaxson Hayes is sidelined with an ankle injury, tweets Jovan Buha of The Athletic. Koloko has only appeared in two games since being medically cleared to return to the NBA, but he’ll have a larger role until Hayes is reevaluated in another week or two. “Disappointed. Feel for Jaxson, especially after the last two games he had for us,” Redick said.
On his Podcast P show, Paul George clarified comments he made about Clippers fans during a recent visit to Los Angeles (Twitter video link). “I did not call Clippers ‘the B team,’” he stated. “I said it felt like the B team because everywhere you go in L.A., people say, ‘You should be a Laker.’ That wasn’t minimizing. … I was a Clipper. That’s who I chose to play for. I wasn’t comparing them or saying they were underneath the Lakers. It’s just how L.A. interprets that or how L.A. treats players that are in L.A.”
The Clippers made a change to their starting lineup tonight in Houston, replacing Terance Mann with Kris Dunn, per Law Murray of The Athletic (Twitter link). Coach Tyronn Lue said after the game that he plans to continue using the new lineup (Twitter link).

Team USA Roster Announced For AmeriCup Qualifying Tournament

November 13th, 2024 at 8:38pm CST by Arthur Hill

Twelve players have been selected to represent Team USA in the next phase of the AmeriCup Qualifying Tournament, USA Basketball announced in a press release. All 12 have at least some NBA experience, and seven have represented the U.S. in the past.

One of the most notable names is Robert Covington, an 11-year veteran who remains a free agent after spending last season with the Clippers and Sixers. This is the first USA Basketball experience for the 33-year-old forward.

Also on the team is big man Frank Kaminsky, who was with the Suns during training camp but was waived before the start of the season. Kaminsky was hoping to return to the NBA after playing for Partizan Belgrade in Serbia last season.

Veteran forward Keita Bates-Diop, who was waived by the Timberwolves before the season began, is another prominent name on the roster. Bates-Diop divided last season between the Suns and Nets.

Rounding out the team are Henry Ellenson, Dusty Hannahs, Nate Hinton, Jahmi’us Ramsey, Chasson Randle, Javonte Smart, David Stockton, Paul Watson and Malik Williams.

Team USA will play two games in Washington, D.C., hosting Puerto Rico on November 22 and the Bahamas on November 25. Training camp will begin Friday and will run through November 21.

Former Rockets head coach Stephen Silas will coach the team during competition windows in November and February. His assistants will include Patrick Ewing and Keith Smart.

The Americans went 1-1 in the first window, splitting their games with Cuba. They will travel to Puerto Rico and the Bahamas in February.

The qualifying rounds involve 16 teams that are divided into four groups of four teams each. Each team plays the other members of its group twice, with the top three from each group qualifying for the FIBA Men’s AmeriCup tournament, which will take place August 23-31 2025, in Managua, Nicaragua.

The qualifying games can be viewed for free by setting up an account on Courtside 1891.

Bucks Notes: Middleton, Rollins, Lillard, Giannis

November 13th, 2024 at 7:23pm CST by Arthur Hill

Bucks coach Doc Rivers said Khris Middleton is still “progressing,” but there’s no indication of when he might make his season debut, according to Eric Nehm of The Athletic (Twitter link). Speaking to reporters before Wednesday’s game, Rivers said there haven’t been any setbacks that are extending Middleton’s absence.

“He’s just progressing and going along,” Rivers said. “I mean, I don’t know what the return date was or that there was one set, so what we’re doing is getting him healthy so that when he’s ready to play, he’s ready to play.”

The 33-year-old swingman, who is recovering from offseason surgery on both ankles, was able to take part in a three-on-three scrimmage last week and the team is hoping to advance him to five-on-five. He would be a welcome addition to the lineup after Milwaukee’s 3-8 start, but Rivers said any decision on his availability will be made by team doctors.

“As I’ve jokingly said a million times, Doc’s a nickname. And I don’t really know,” he added. “I just check in with the medical team and they tell me the same stuff. He’s getting there. He’s getting closer. And basically, I relay the same stuff to you. I don’t get involved as I’ve told you many times. I just don’t think it’s a great place for a coach to be. … I check in with Khris and guys that are injured about how they’re feeling, more human stuff, because Khris wants to play. And he’s frustrated that he’s not … And that’s how it works for a coach, it’s more about the mental stuff, the mental health, than anything else.”

There’s more from Milwaukee:

Ryan Rollins, who signed a two-way contract over the summer, made his first career start Tuesday night, per Jim Owczarski of The Journal-Sentinel. Rollins posted 12 points and five steals, but had to leave the game after reinjuring his bruised left shoulder. “That’s like the story of my life,” he said. “It’s always something. I mean, I can’t complain about it. I’m going to just keep working, keep getting better. It’s not really a serious injury, so I’ll be back next game anyways. It is always something for me, but I’ll always work through it regardless.”
Damian Lillard will miss his second straight game tonight after being placed in concussion protocol, Owczarski adds in a separate story. Rivers said his star guard passed “most” of the return-to-play tests on Tuesday night, but woke up this morning with a headache.
Marcus Thompson II of The Athletic believes Giannis Antetokounmpo should stay in Milwaukee, but he notes that his situation will provide the first real test of how superstars navigate the new apron rules.

Celtics Notes: NBA Cup, Tatum, Paint Problems, Mazzulla

November 13th, 2024 at 6:10pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Celtics‘ hopes of stacking an NBA Cup title on top of last season’s championship got off to a rocky start Tuesday night, writes Brian Robb of MassLive. Jaylen Brown blamed a lack of focus as Boston squandered a 15-point second half lead while losing at home against Atlanta.

“I think mentally we were careless tonight,” he said. “We expected to win. Too careless and it showed. I think the No. 1 category it showed in is our turnovers. Uncharacteristic of us to have 20 turnovers in any circumstance. I think that just displayed that we weren’t in sync like we normally are, so we’ve got to be better at that, and I’ve got to be better at that.”

Following a 7-1 start, the Celtics have gone 2-2 in their last four games and are now three games behind Cleveland in the race for the top spot in the East. Their wins over the weekend against Brooklyn and Milwaukee came after slow starts in both games.

“It’s just a mentality,” Brown said. “This is a part of the journey. We’ve got some stuff to clean up. We’re not a perfect team. It’s a new season, a new journey, and we’re looking forward to embracing those moments. We’re going to watch it and we’re going to address what needs to be addressed.”

There’s more from Boston:

Jayson Tatum is no longer on the injury report after being listed as questionable with soreness in his left ankle prior to Tuesday’s game, Robb adds in a separate story. Tatum turned his ankle during Sunday’s contest, but was able to keep playing.
The Celtics continue to have matchup problems with big, physical teams, observes Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe, as the Hawks collected 20 offensive rebounds and scored 38 second-half points in the paint. Atlanta’s center tandem of Clint Capela and Onyeka Okongwu shot a combined 15-of-22 from the field. “They got rebounds and layups on everybody, bigs, smalls, mediums,” coach Joe Mazzulla said. “They just outplayed us at both ends of the floor.”
Mazzulla told reporters that he would prefer to see the NBA Cup as a standalone event rather than having the games count in the regular season standings, per Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe. He compared it with tournaments held in European soccer. “They don’t count toward your domestic league,” Mazzulla said. “It’s its own league entirely. That, to me, is my only negative toward it. I like it. I think having something like it in the middle of the season is good, especially in a long year. Just, that’s the difference between what you do here and what you do around the world. But it’s an opportunity for us to win something, an opportunity for us to go after something. So we’re going to go after it from that perspective.”

Warriors Notes: Thompson’s Return, Curry, Kuminga

November 13th, 2024 at 5:04pm CST by Arthur Hill

Klay Thompson didn’t want a spectacle to surround his return to San Francisco Tuesday night, but the Warriors felt a need to do something special to honor their longtime star, writes Sam Amick of The Athletic. That included having about 400 team employees lined up to cheer for him when the Mavericks‘ bus arrived at the arena and passing out captain’s hats to all fans in attendance in honor of Thompson’s love of sailing. There was also a video tribute, but a planned Stephen Curry pre-game speech was discarded by mutual agreement of the Splash Brothers.

“It was a really cool experience,” Thompson told reporters after the game. “I appreciate the fans very much. The captain’s hat ended up being a great touch, since I’m such a passionate boater. I saw a lot of familiar faces in the crowd. That was a warm-hearted feeling. So it was really cool to see fans with gratitude towards myself, and it’s something I won’t take for granted. It’s very, very awesome. It was a cool moment to feel the energy from the fans, and especially, you know, all the chatter that I heard — it was all positive. (That) just means a lot to myself, because I really enjoyed my time here and … left it all out on the floor.”

League sources told Amick that Thompson was requesting a more subdued tribute, which is an acknowledgement that his 13 years with the Warriors didn’t end on the best of terms. The organization was reluctant to commit another large, long-term contract to Thompson, who will turn 35 later this season, forcing him to consider his options in free agency. Amick reports that some people close to Thompson were hoping the team employees wouldn’t greet him when he arrived, but he was thankful after it happened.

“That was really cool,” he said. “I’m very grateful for the employees to give me that kind of love. Totally unexpected, and definitely put a smile on my face. It’s something I’ll never forget.”

There’s more on the Warriors:

Thompson had been Curry’s teammate since entering the league, so he had never been the victim of one of the two-time MVP’s late-game scoring sprees, notes Kendra Andrews of ESPN. It happened Tuesday as Curry scored 12 of his game-high 37 points in the final four minutes to help Golden State pull out a victory. “It hurts to be on the other side of one of his flurries,” Thompson said. “Guy got hot at the end and made some ridiculous shots. I know I’ve been on the other end, and it sucks.”
Amid all the emotion of Thompson’s return, Ron Kroichick of The San Francisco Chronicle believes the Warriors made a responsible decision by letting him go. Kroichick contends that the team needed to get younger, quicker and better on defense after falling in the play-in tournament last season. Instead of increasing their offer to Thompson, they were able to pursue trades for Paul George and Lauri Markkanen before ultimately adding De’Anthony Melton and Buddy Hield, who have both been productive.
Golden State has survived losing Thompson by leaning more on younger players such as Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody and Trayce Jackson-Davis, per Spencer Davies of Responsible Gambler. “Now it’s just the coaches trust in us a little bit more to go out there, to be you and be free,” Kuminga said. “I think that’s what it is. At this point, they’re leaning on us, and they’re really believing in us and letting us go out there and play.”

Southeast Notes: Daniels, Herro, Spoelstra, Salaün

November 13th, 2024 at 3:57pm CST by Luke Adams

Entering play on Wednesday, Hawks guard Dyson Daniels‘ has 31 more deflections (76 total) and 15 more steals (36 total) than any other NBA player, establishing himself as one of the league’s very best defenders. He’s also holding his own offensively, averaging a career-high 14.3 points per game on 46.9% shooting.

As Lauren Williams of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution details, Daniels’ breakout third season is making the Hawks’ return in this summer’s Dejounte Murray trade look better and better.

“Coming here was just was so good for his confidence, both offensively and confidence defensively,” said teammate Larry Nance Jr., who was traded with Daniels from New Orleans to Atlanta. “He’s taking some more gambles now, and obviously they’re paying off. So, I truly could not be happier for a guy that is so deserving of the praise and the opportunity he’s gotten.”

While Nance suggested Daniels has an increased willingness to take gambles on defense, head coach Quin Snyder made it clear that the third-year guard’s impressive defensive numbers aren’t just a result of taking more risks that might hurt the Hawks if they backfire.

“What’s impressive to me about that is, usually when you get that many steals, it’s because you’re gambling,” Snyder said. “You take yourself out of a play. And rarely is he taking himself out of the play. He may not steal the ball, but he’s still in position. He’s calculated with that. He’s just, he’s so focused. And, it’s unusual. You don’t take it for granted that he brings it every night.”

We have more from around the Southeast:

Ahead of the season, Heat president Pat Riley challenged his team’s top four players to be the best versions of themselves. Tyler Herro is the only one meeting that challenge so far, according to Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald, who refers to the former Sixth Man of the Year as Miami’s first-month MVP after he put up 40 points in a loss to Detroit on Tuesday. “He’s having a hell of a year,” teammate Bam Adebayo said. “He deserves that All-Star nod. We’ve been pushing him for three or four years to get that nod. He’s healthy, playing at his own pace, making decisions, making plays.”
Head coach Erik Spoelstra took the blame for that overtime loss to Detroit on Tuesday after he tried to call for a timeout the Heat didn’t have in the game’s final seconds, allowing the Pistons to hit a tie-breaking technical free throw. “There’s really no excuse for that,” Spoelstra said (story via The Associated Press). “I’m 17 years in. We had talked about it in the huddle, I knew that we didn’t have anything. I just got emotional and reactive on that and I made just a horrendous mistake there at the end. It’s a shame.”
After starting Tidjane Salaün in place of Miles Bridges for the Hornets‘ first two games after Bridges was diagnosed with a knee bone bruise, head coach Charles Lee turned instead to Grant Williams to take Bridges’ spot on Tuesday, writes Rod Boone of The Charlotte Observer. Still, Salaün played roughly as many minutes off the bench as he did as a starter, and Lee said he’s encouraged by the progress he has seen from the 19-year-old. The Hornets’ coach noted that the speed of the game, the language barrier, and learning a new system and terminology have all been challenges for Salaun, but Lee believes the rookie forward is getting more comfortable. “He’s just getting better with more reps, which makes sense for young guys,” Lee said. “… I love his energy and effort and the competitiveness he plays with every time he’s on the floor.”

New York Notes: Ryan, Hart, Nets, Simmons, Clowney

November 13th, 2024 at 3:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Veteran sharpshooter Matt Ryan played non-garbage-time minutes on Tuesday for the first time since joining the Knicks, as head coach Tom Thibodeau expanded his rotation to nine players in a win over Philadelphia, writes Stefan Bondy of The New York Post. Ryan went 0-of-3 from the field and was a minus-six in nine minutes of action, but Thibodeau sounds prepared to give the 27-year-old more opportunities to prove he deserves regular playing time.

“I almost (played him) last game,” Thibodeau said. “But he just got here and because we had six of seven on the road, there hasn’t been a lot of practice time. It’s going to take him a little bit of time for him to get up to speed. But he’s smart and he’ll pick it up quickly. It’s good to have that.”

As Bondy notes, in addition to inserting Ryan into the rotation, Thibodeau got guard Cameron Payne back on Tuesday after he missed four straight games due to a hamstring strain. The duo joined Miles McBride and Jericho Sims as rotation reserves vs. Philadelphia.

While the starters still saw plenty of action, OG Anunoby was the only one to log more than 38 minutes after four starters surpassed that threshold in Sunday’s loss to Indiana.

Here’s more on the NBA’s two New York-based teams, the Knicks and Nets:

After struggling to find his fit in the Knicks‘ new-look lineup during the preseason, Josh Hart is off to a career-best start, notes James L. Edwards III of The Athletic. Hart’s 9.3 rebounds and 5.6 assists per game would be career highs, while his average of 13.8 points per game is well above his career rate. The do-it-all guard/forward also leads the NBA with a 76.8% shooting percentage on two-point attempts.
Ben Simmons appears to be getting comfortable after returning to his natural point guard position in the Nets‘ second unit, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Simmons had a season-high 12 assists in 22 minutes off the bench in Monday’s win over New Orleans, as head coach Jordi Fernandez has staggered Simmons’ and center Nic Claxton‘s minutes in order to avoid spacing issues. “I believe that if we have Ben in the Cleveland game we win the game. That’s obvious,” Fernandez said of Saturday’s five-point loss to the Cavaliers, which Simmons missed due to lower back injury management. “We have a ball-handler, a player that’s been there, a player that plays fast. We stopped running in the second half and Ben is the best at throwing the ball ahead and making us run. So it’s good to have him back, for sure. He’s going to help with those things.”
After playing well during the final few weeks of his rookie season, Nets big man Noah Clowney had gotten off to a slow start this fall, averaging 5.6 points per game on 31.9% shooting through his first eight outings. As Lewis details, Clowney enjoyed a breakout game on Monday when he scored a season-high 15 points and knocked down 5-of-10 three-pointers. “Noah, one thing he’s done consistently is just continue to let it fly and it’s how it works, like you do not control if it’s gonna go in,” Fernandez said. “You can control if you take a good shot. He kept taking a good shot after good shot after good shot. Like 5-for-10, it’s what we want to see. And I want him to keep shooting every time.”

Lakers Notes: Hayes, Cap, Goodwin, Possible Trade Targets

November 13th, 2024 at 1:19pm CST by Luke Adams

Lakers center Jaxson Hayes has been diagnosed with a left ankle sprain, the team announced today. As Dave McMenamin of ESPN details, the injury occurred during Tuesday’s practice and will force Hayes to miss at least a few games. The club’s plan is to reevaluate the big man’s ankle in one-to-two weeks.

Hayes has played a regular role in the Lakers’ rotation this fall and is coming off his best game of the season. He had 12 points, six rebounds, and a block in 21 minutes of action during Sunday’s win over Toronto, with the Lakers outscoring the Raptors by 21 points during his time on the floor.

The Lakers are also missing center Christian Wood, who will be out until at least mid-December, so their options in the middle will be limited until Hayes is ready to return.

Anthony Davis figures to handle the majority of the minutes at the five, with two-way center Christian Koloko also in the mix. Small-ball lineups that deploy a forward like LeBron James or Rui Hachimura as the de facto center will also be an option for head coach J.J. Redick.

Here’s more on the Lakers:

The Lakers are now operating just $30K below the second tax apron rather than $45K below it, since they took on a $15K cap charge for Jordan Goodwin, who was injured prior to the season while on an Exhibit 9 contract with the team, tweets ESPN’s Bobby Marks. The second apron isn’t technically a hard cap for the Lakers at this point, but if they aggregate salaries in a trade this season, it would become one.
The Lakers consider it a priority to add frontcourt depth, sources tell ESPN’s Dave McMenamin (Insider link). However, the front office has “been met with more closed doors” than usual while scouring the trade market, according to McMenamin. It’s unclear whether that’s a function of the cap, tax, and apron restrictions facing teams around the league, a reflection of the limited appeal of the Lakers’ trade chips, or a combination of both.
During a discussion about possible Lakers trade targets on the latest episode of the Hoop Collective podcast (YouTube link), McMenamin said Wizards center Jonas Valanciunas is “certainly a name that’s legitimately still on the Lakers’ radar.” McMenamin also mentioned Robert Williams of the Trail Blazers and Nic Claxton of the Nets as possible targets for L.A., though that sounded more like speculation than hard reporting. “Because they won in 2020 with the Dwight Howard and JaVale McGee combo next to Anthony Davis,” McMenamin explained, “Anthony Davis never let go of that idea that, ‘That’s my best chance to win with LeBron, to have that extra layer defensively,’ and quite frankly, help him get through the slog of the regular season in terms of the beating that he’ll take on the block battling these guys.”
In case you missed it, the Lakers plan to have rookie guard Bronny James suit up for the South Bay Lakers only during home games, rather than having him travel on the road with the G League affiliate. Shams Charania reported those plans last week, but they’ve reemerged as a popular topic of discussion today after Brian Windhorst criticized the decision on the latest episode of the Hoop Collective podcast (YouTube link).

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