D’Angelo Russell Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Clippers Express Interest In Paul George

June 19th, 2017 at 11:13am CST by Luke Adams

The Clippers have expressed interest in Paul George, reports Sean Deveney of The Sporting News. For Los Angeles to be a serious contender in the George sweepstakes, the Pacers would likely have to be willing to wait until July to finalize a trade.

As Deveney writes, the Clippers’ best chance to make a trade involving a highly-paid player like George would involve signing-and-trading one of their top free agents. While Chris Paul and Blake Griffin will be among those free agents, the Clips’ dream scenario would likely be using another UFA, J.J. Redick, in a sign-and-trade, then forming a Big Four with Paul, Griffin, George, and DeAndre Jordan.

That scenario is probably a long shot, since the Clippers don’t have first-round picks in 2017 or 2019, and acquiring Redick on an expensive new deal may not appeal to Indiana. But if any team besides the Lakers should feel confident in its ability to lock up George beyond 2018, the Clippers might might be that team, given their ability to get PG13 to his preferred city.

Here are several more George rumors or notes, in the wake of Sunday’s report that he plans on leaving the Pacers:

The Cavaliers and Pacers have been immersed in trade talks regarding George, league sources tell Sam Amico of AmicoHoops.net. According to Amico, Cleveland’s interest in George has been described as “legit,” but pulling off a deal could be “very complicated.”
Two NBA sources who spoke to Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer (Twitter link) expect the Lakers to get involved in George trade talks if it appears the Cavaliers are moving close to a deal. However, Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders (Twitter links) is skeptical that the Lakers would move young players like D’Angelo Russell and Julius Randle for George, suggesting that Jordan Clarkson is a more likely trade candidate. Meanwhile, ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne reports that the Lakers currently appear unwilling to part with any of their young assets in a trade with the Pacers.
The Rockets are worth keeping an eye on in the George sweepstakes, according to Sean Deveney, who observes that Daryl Morey is generally willing to roll the dice on impact players without getting a long-term commitment.
The Heat like George, but – given their lack of tradeable first-round picks – probably don’t have the assets to acquire him, writes Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald.

Lakers Notes: George, Ball, Russell, Workout

June 18th, 2017 at 4:09pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Lakers will have to unload some salary before next summer to offer Paul George a maximum contract, tweets Bobby Marks of The Vertical. George has informed the Pacers that he plans to opt out after next season and hopes to sign with L.A. The franchise would need roughly $30.6MM in cap room to fit in a full max deal for 2018/19, and right now there’s only about $15.6MM available (Twitter link). That number assumes they make both of their first-round picks this year and renounce all their free agents this summer and next summer except for Julius Randle.

To create more space, the Lakers would have to either renounce Randle, a valuable young talent, or trade one of their big-money contracts in Luol Deng ($18MM for 2018/19) Timofey Mozgov ($16MM) or Jordan Clarkson ($12.5MM), according to Marks (Twitter link). Another option is to use the stretch provision, which would amount to paying Deng $7.2MM and Mozgov $6.4MM over the next five years (Twitter link)

There’s more today out of Los Angeles:

The news about George makes the Lakers more likely to draft Lonzo Ball, tweets Jake Fischer of Sports Illustrated. The team is reportedly deciding between Ball and Kansas forward Josh Jackson, but the expected addition of George reduces the need for Jackson.
Immaturity remains a concern with incumbent point guard D’Angelo Russell, according to Mark Heisler of The Los Angeles Daily News. Russell, who might be moved to shooting guard if Ball is selected, doesn’t have point guard instincts after switching to the position during his single season at Ohio State. Heisler also shares concerns that Russell is partying too much and that coach Luke Walton has grown tired of the “post-adolescent” nature of the team.
Johnny Buss tells Tania Ganguli of The Los Angeles Times that he lost his passion for owning the Lakers when his father Jerry died in 2013. Johnny Buss resigned as members of the board of directors during the season after a failed attempt to take over control of the team. “If anybody thought that Johnny or Jeanie or Jimmy or any of his kids could fill his shoes, they’re grandly mistaken,” Buss said. “He’s a once-in-a-lifetime kind of person. So all we could do was try to stay together and do what he asked us to do and that was to make as much money as possible. Create a franchise that was worth billions.”
The Lakers will bring in six players Monday for a pre-draft workout, the team announced via Twitter. They are Gonzaga’s Zach Collins, Clemson’s Avry Holmes, Creighton’s Cole Huff, Cal-Irvine’s Luke Nelson, Columbia’s Luke Petrasek and Alabama-Huntsville’s Seab Webster.

Pacific Notes: Gay, Inglewood, Clarkson

June 16th, 2017 at 10:34pm CST by Austin Kent

Expect Rudy Gay to pursue a playoff contender this offseason, Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee writes, even if that takes him away from the Kings. The veteran could serve a valuable role with a competitive team given his proven ability to score the ball but where does that leave Sacramento?

That Gay is expecting to test the market is nothing new, he said as much last September. Not even the early season success that the Kings enjoyed in 2016/17 or the shroud of uncertainty cast when the forward tore his Achilles midseason could dissuade him from betting on himself in the open market.

Gay’s absence in the latter half of last campaign revealed the fact that whether Gay is on the sidelines or with another franchise altogether the Kings are in desperate need of a forward with size. Undersized shooting guards, Jones says, only compromise head coach Dave Joerger‘s defense.

The team has in-house options to audition at the 3, including 2016 first-rounder Malachi Richardson, but would be wise to target players like Jayson Tatum or Justin Jackson in the upcoming NBA Draft. Kings draft-and-stash prospect Bogdan Bogdanovic could ultimately address the need as well, Jones adds.

There’s more from the Pacific Division:

As we wrote about earlier in the week, the Clippers have made progress in their attempts to build a new stadium. The project, however, won’t be without its hurdles. Nathan Fenno of the Los Angeles Times details a statement issued on behalf of the Forum accusing the city of Inglewood and the franchise of “backroom dealing”.
North Carolina power forward Isaiah Hicks (projected at No. 56 by NBADraft.net) headlined a batch of prospects that the Lakers worked out Friday. Joey Ramirez of the Lakers’ official website has scouting reports on all involved.
Despite the fact that his name is often floated in trade rumors, Jordan Clarkson is determined to keep his head down and keep grinding. Mark Medina of the Orange County Register writes that, if the Lakers draft a point guard, D’Angelo Russell could slide over to Clarkson’s natural position at the 2.

Pacific Notes: Lakers, Mason, Clippers, Reed

June 12th, 2017 at 9:14pm CST by Dana Gauruder

A Lakers backcourt of D’Angelo Russell and Lonzo Ball might be potent offensively but a liability defensively, as Eric Pincus examines in a Bleacher Report piece. Russell could run pick-and-rolls, while Ball would excel in transition and ball movement, though neither tends to attack off the dribble, Pincus continues. The biggest concern would be on the defensive end because of quickness issues, which would require the Lakers to have a speedy, defensive-minded guard to rotate with both players, Pincus adds.

In other developments around the Pacific Division:

Kansas point guard Frank Mason III will work out for the Kings for a second time on Wednesday, according to the team’s website. Mason is considered a second-round prospect — he’s currently ranked No. 45 on Chad Ford’s Big Board. Sacramento, which has the No. 34 overall pick in the second round, will also bring in Kentucky point guard Isaiah Briscoe, UCLA shooting guard Isaac Hamilton, Florida shooting guard Canyon Barry, Indiana center Thomas Bryant and Miami forward Kamari Murphy.
The Clippers will bring in FIBA small forward Howard Sant-Roos for workouts later this week, international journalist David Pick tweets. The Cuban-born Sant-Roos, 26, has been playing for CEZ Nymburk in the Czech league, where he averaged 13.6 PPG, 6.0 RPG and 3.4 APG in 40 games this season.
Kansas State shooting guard Wesley Iwundu and Vanderbilt big man Luke Kornet headed the list of six draft hopeful that the Lakers brought in on Monday, the team’s website reported. Iwundu is ranked No. 53 overall by Draft Express, while Kornet comes in at No. 67. The Lakers do not have a second-round pick.
Miami shooting guard Davon Reed headlined a group of six players that the Clippers worked out on Monday, Michael Scotto of Basketball Insiders tweets. Reed is pegged as the No. 76 prospect by Draft Express. Murphy also participated in the workout.

Mavericks Notes: Noel, Russell, Point Guards

May 23rd, 2017 at 9:00pm CST by marksuleymanov

Nerlens Noel has garnered comparisons to defensive stalwart Tyson Chandler for his rebounding and defensive abilities but injuries have stalled his progression. Following a midseason trade from the 76ers to the Mavericks, Noel posted 8.5 PPG and 6.8 RPG in 22 games. However, the 23-year-old will need several additional years to hone his game before he’s in that class, Eddie Sefko of Dallas Morning News opines.

Noel has shown glimpses of elite talent in his three NBA seasons but has generally been inconsistent. Sefko acknowledges that if the Mavericks envision a longterm future with Noel as a fixture, he will need two-to-three years of seasoning before he possibly reaches his potential. For his part, Noel, a restricted free agent, expressed his desire to remain in Dallas.

“I love Dallas,” Noel said last month (via The Sporting News). “In my short time here, I’ve really enjoyed it. With the pieces that we have, and the opportunities we’ll be seeing in the near future, I think there’s a lot to be excited for.”

Below are are additional Mavericks notes:

In a separate piece, Sefko examines the possibility of the Mavericks pursuing Lakers point guard D’Angelo Russell. The Lakers own the second overall pick in the NBA Draft and if they draft UCLA standout Lonzo Ball, having two point guards may be redundant for the Lakers. If Dallas fails to draft a solid point guard, Sefko believes Dallas will call Los Angeles to discuss Russell but the price to acquire a second overall pick from two seasons ago will likely be astronomical.
Sefko further delved into the Mavericks’ point guard situation, stating emphatically that the team needs to acquire someone who can shoot. The aforementioned Russell fits the mold as the 21-year-old has averaged 14.3 PPG in his two NBA seasons. In-house options like Devin Harris, Yogi Ferrell, and J.J. Barea are also strong options for Dallas but a more established option makes sense.

Several Teams Evaluating Potential D’Angelo Russell Trades

May 16th, 2017 at 10:32pm CST by marksuleymanov

With the Lakers securing the second overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft at tonight’s draft lottery, several teams have reportedly begun evaluating potential trades for point guard D’Angelo Russell, sources tell Sports Illustrated’s Jake Fischer.

The former second overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft put together a solid sophomore season in Los Angeles. He improved his numbers across the board, posting 15.6 PPG, 4.8 APG, and 3.5 RPG in 63 games (60 starts). Russell did miss some time due to various knee ailments, which included a PRP injection in his left knee and a mild sprain of the MCL in his right knee.

The former Ohio State University product has shown flashes of his talent but his time has a Laker has been mired in disappointments and run-in’s with teammates. Still, at just 21 years old, he figures to draw strong interest around the league if the Lakers decide to go in another direction.

When the Lakers drew the second overall pick, the attention turned to UCLA product Lonzo Ball, who has been named as the team’s reported top target in the draft. Lonzo’s outspoken father, LaVar Ball, has been pushing for his son to remain in California and join the Lakers, something he reiterated to ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne earlier this week.

“Oh, he’s going to be a Laker,” he said. “I’m going to keep talking about it until it happens.”

In his lone season with the Bruins, Ball posted 14.6 PPG, 7.6 APG and 6.0 RPG in 36 contests. As Fischer mentions, having Russell and Ball on the same team may be redundant, especially if the Lakers decide to upgrade at others positions.

While Russell is two years Ball’s elder, both athletes are 6’5″ playmakers with scoring ability. With just over a month to go until the draft, and a second overall pick in their possession, the Lakers are in prime position to draft their preferred player, maintain their core assets, and deal from a surplus to upgrade in other areas.

Pacific Notes: Booker, Watson, Russell

April 2nd, 2017 at 9:21pm CST by Austin Kent

An impressive sophomore season has Devin Booker conjuring up images of another gifted scorer: James Harden. Head coach Earl Watson recently spoke about how he envisions Booker facilitating the Suns’ offense similar to how Harden does in Houston.

“He reminds me of a young James Harden because he plays at his own speed,” Watson told Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle of the Suns guard. “He plays not fast, but it’s quick, not blazing, but [he is] somebody that dunks on you. He can shoot. He can handle. He can pass. He can post. And he has a very old game for his age. It’s exactly how James was.”

In 74 games for the Suns this season, Watson has averaged 21.9 points per game but it’s his ability to control the ball down the stretch that reminds Watson of Harden.

“I think James opens the door for him to [be a full-time point guard for the Suns],” Watson said. “You definitely see the ball in his hands down the stretch.”

Second-year Suns coach Earl Watson is still learning the ins and outs of the job, specifically how decisions can sometimes come down from management that he doesn’t exactly agree with, Doug Haller of the Arizona Republic writes. “I was like, ‘I want to play this way. I want to win. I want to get in the playoffs.’ I never thought about players sitting or the other side of the game,” Watson said of the front office’s decision to rest certain veterans. “That was like a right hook I didn’t see coming. But I got back up. And I think our young guys have responded well.“
Of all the things that D’Angelo Russell has improved upon in his second season, one of note is his ability to make in-game adjustments. “He’s done a good job, whether he’s making bad plays with that or missing shots, with still helping our team,” Lakers head coach Luke Walton told Mark Medina of the Orange County Register. “That is a huge step forward. It’s important you can bounce back within the game.”
The Clippers are well aware of the fact that the pressure is on them to win in the playoffs, Bill Oram of the Orange County Register writes. “Until we do anything, that’s what it is,” Chris Paul said. “We haven’t won. It depends on what day of the week it is and who did we just beat? It’s always changing but until we do something it’s going to be the same thing.“

Lakers Notes: Ingram, Russell, Ball

March 19th, 2017 at 5:57pm CST by Austin Kent

Growing confidence and familiarity with the game have contributed to Brandon Ingram‘s gradual improvement this season. The No. 2 overall pick has seen his minutes climb over the course of the season and head coach Luke Walton believes that the exposure has paid off.

“I think it’s more just an overall confidence that he’s gaining from playing night after night after night,” Walton told Joey Ramirez of the team’s official website.

In eight March games, Ingram has averaged 12.3 points and 3.9 rebounds, a sign that Los Angeles’ decision to rest veterans Timofey Mozgov and Luol Deng in favor of giving their young players more of an opportunity is paying off.

Ingram’s statistical improvements, Ramirez writes, stem not from an increase in three-point shooting but maturation attacking the hoop and a more reliable mid-range game.

There’s more out of Los Angeles:

Head coach Luke Walton is proud of D’Angelo Russell for sticking up for Nick Young in a brief altercation with the Bucks this week and didn’t feed into Draymond Green‘s criticism of the second-year guard’s actions. “I was proud of D’Angelo for getting in there and sticking up for his teammate,” Walton told Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News.
The Lakers will get extra opportunities to scout Lonzo Ball as UCLA squares off in the NCAA Tournament. The 6’7″ guard has spurred a “cultural revolution” for the Bruins, writes Mark Heisler of the Los Angeles Daily News, and could be of particular interest to Magic Johnson.
He may be from Los Angeles but Amir Johnson still plays for the Celtics. That, of course, makes his high praise for recently appointed president of basketball operations Magic Johnson particularly compelling. “I always saw how Magic has a lot of businesses — the Magic Johnson theaters and 24-Hour Fitness and all that — and I think it’s dope that he really committed to the community. He’s doing all this great stuff. It kind of shows you what this job can do for you,” the forward told Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald.

Lakers Rumors: Magic, Buss Family, Cousins

March 8th, 2017 at 10:29am CST by Luke Adams

The Lakers officially named Magic Johnson an advisor at the start of February, but in the weeks leading up to his promotion, Johnson wasn’t being kept apprised of the goings-on in the team’s front office, according to ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne. As Shelburne details in her inside look at the Lakers’ front office shakeup, Jim Buss and Mitch Kupchak continued to run team business without integrating Johnson or even informing him of what they were planning.

In one case, that meant conducting a workout with Larry Sanders without inviting Johnson to attend. It also meant that Johnson had to inquire about trade calls on his own, since Buss and Kupchak weren’t telling him about them, let alone asking his opinion. The fact that Johnson wasn’t been involved in the decision-making process was one reason why president Jeanie Buss felt it was necessary to make a change just days before the trade deadline, writes Shelburne.

Let’s round up a few other Lakers items, including more from Shelburne’s piece…

Another key factor in Jeanie Buss‘ decision to oust Jim Buss and Kupchak in favor of Johnson was the way DeMarcus Cousins talks with the Kings were handled. According to Shelburne, Johnson received a call from Sacramento GM Vlade Divac, but since Magic was still just a consultant at that point, he referred Divac to Buss and Kupchak. Divac wanted to move quickly on a Cousins deal and was meeting with Pelicans GM Dell Demps in person at the All-Star Game in New Orleans, but could only talk to Buss and Kupchak on the phone, slowing negotiations.
As Shelburne explains, Jeanie Buss wanted a heads-up if the Lakers were discussing any of their three previous lottery picks – Brandon Ingram, D’Angelo Russell, and Julius Randle – in trade talks. The talks with the Kings involved two of those three players, but Jeanie and Magic were kept out of the loop until Sacramento had essentially finalized a deal with New Orleans.
According to Shelburne, the Jazz had offered a first-round pick for Lou Williams before Johnson took over as the Lakers’ president of basketball operations, but that proposal was off the table by the time he was promoted.
Shelburne’s piece includes several more interesting items about Lakers ownership, the tension between the Buss brothers and Johnson, and a possible role for Kobe Bryant, among other topics, so it’s worth checking out in full.
Speaking of Kobe, the future Hall-of-Famer publicly endorsed the Lakers’ choice of his former agent Rob Pelinka for general manager (Twitter link). Head coach Luke Walton is “excited” to begin working with Pelinka, as Mark Medina of The O.C. Register details.
Legal experts say that Jeanie Buss is well positioned to retain control of the Lakers franchise even if her brothers attempt to oust her, writes Nathan Fenno of The Los Angeles Times. Shelburne’s report suggests that Janie Buss believes Jim and Johnny Buss hope to eventually cash out.

Lakers Notes: Magic, Kobe, Young Core, Kupchak

February 23rd, 2017 at 7:46am CST by Luke Adams

Speaking to reporters this week, new Lakers president of basketball operations Magic Johnson reiterated that he’d like to bring Kobe Bryant aboard. Johnson has no specific role in mind for the future Hall-of-Famer, suggesting that Bryant could do “whatever he wants to do,” per Baxter Holmes of ESPN.com. Johnson also said he’s looking forward to trying to lure free agents to L.A., despite the club’s lack of success with top targets in recent years.

“Players today, whether they’re coming to us or any other team, have got to buy into that vision and have got to say, ‘Look, I can see it. This organization is about winning,'” Johnson said. “We’ve always been about winning. And you’ve got the right coach, you’ve got the right management team, you’ve got the right ownership, and so we’re looking forward to going out and pitching to free agents.”

Here’s more on the Lakers:

As Mark Medina of The Los Angeles Daily News details, D’Angelo Russell and Brandon Ingram were comforted by Johnson’s recent assertions that the team’s young core is untouchable. “That’s good to hear, honestly,” Russell said. “With everybody getting traded and everything happening, you’re walking around looking over your shoulder because you don’t have a clue what’s going on. Some things you can’t control. So that’s good to hear.” Still, the second-year guard added that no one should feel entirely “untouchable” around the trade deadline.
After being fired by the Lakers earlier this week, former GM Mitch Kupchak issued a statement on Wednesday thanking the Buss family and wishing Johnson and the organization good luck going forward. Baxter Holmes has the full statement from Kupchak.
For the Lakers to contend again, they can’t be content to rely on Johnson’s celebrity, writes Tim Dahlberg of The Associated Press.
The Lakers are reportedly seeking a second-round pick in a deal for Nick Young today. Be sure to keep tabs on all are latest Lakers notes using their team page.