LeBron James

Spurs, Lakers Leading Suitors For Trae Young?

February 12th, 2024 at 12:37pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Hawks‘ decision to hold onto Dejounte Murray at the trade deadline has rival teams speculating that they might part with Trae Young this summer, Marc Stein writes in his latest Substack column (subscription required). If that happens, Stein expects plenty of suitors to line up, with the Spurs and Lakers possibly leading the way.

Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports published a similar report in the wake of Thursday’s trade deadline and also identified San Antonio and Los Angeles as prospective suitors for Young.

There have been rumors for months that San Antonio might be a realistic location for Young, according to Stein. His ability to stretch the floor would provide more space for Victor Wembanyama to operate, and Wembanyama’s size and shot-blocking could help cover up for Young’s shortcomings on defense. Stein states that it’s “believed in some corners of the league” that Young would be interested in joining the Spurs if Atlanta decides to move him.

Stein also cites the Lakers as a potential destination, considering that Anthony Davis is a good complement for Young’s skills as well. L.A. was rumored to be among the leading contenders to acquire Murray, and general manager Rob Pelinka will have a lot more trade ammunition to work with during the offseason.

“In terms of what was available at the trade deadline, we had one first-round draft pick,” Pelinka said after this year’s deadline passed. “It was our only sort of hook to fish with. And this summer in June, at the time of the draft, we’ll have three first-round draft picks to look for deals, which I think will really unlock an access to potentially a greater or bigger swing.”

Stein points out that the Lakers aren’t completely sure about the future of LeBron James, who faces a decision on a $51.4MM player option. While it seems likely that he’ll choose to take the money, the organization is preparing for all scenarios, according to Stein, and the draft prospects of his son, USC freshman Bronny James, could enter into the equation.

Bronny is no longer considered a first-round prospect, but Stein hears that at least two teams — and possibly more — believe LeBron would considering signing with them for much less than his option figure if they were to select his son in the second round.

If that were to happen, Stein adds, the Lakers would need a marquee name like Young to take his place and Pelinka would be relieved that he held onto the 2027 first-rounder at the deadline.

Trade Rumors: Olynyk, Fontecchio, Celtics, Suns, Sixers, Lakers, More

February 7th, 2024 at 7:48am CST by Luke Adams

The Jazz likely won’t be buyers at the trade deadline, league sources tell Tony Jones of The Athletic, but the team could very well be active, with Kelly Olynyk, Jordan Clarkson, and Simone Fontecchio among the top candidates to be dealt.

Jones classifies Clarkson as the least likely player in that trio to be on the move by Thursday’s trade deadline, writing that Olynyk has generated widespread interest among playoff contenders due to his expiring contract and offensive versatility. As for Fontecchio, the forward has generated serious interest from the Celtics and Suns, Jones reports. Those two clubs have limited salary-matching pieces, so Fontecchio’s $3MM cap hit makes him an ideal target.

According to Brian Robb of MassLive.com, the Celtics actually have interest in multiple Jazz players. Robb confirms Fontecchio is a target and suggests the club is eyeing Olynyk and Kris Dunn as well. Olynyk is likely a long shot due to his $12.2MM cap hit, which would be impossible for Boston to match without packaging several players; Dunn’s $2.6MM salary represents a better fit.

Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe (Twitter link) is hearing from sources that it would be surprising if the Celtics don’t make a deadline deal. However, it’s most likely to be a relatively minor move for a player who would essentially provide injury insurance, Himmelsbach says.

Here are a few more trade rumors from around the NBA:

Despite the fact that they’ll be without Joel Embiid for at least a month or two as he recovers from knee surgery, the Sixers continue to operate as buyers in advance of the trade deadline, Adrian Wojnarowski said during a Tuesday appearance on NBA Today (Twitter video link). Philadelphia is exploring the market for centers, per Wojnarowski, hoping to find a big man who can fill in for Embiid and help the team maintain its hold on a playoff spot in the East.
Sam Amick of The Athletic takes a look at the Lakers‘ ongoing pursuit of guard Dejounte Murray, confirming previous reports stating that Hawks head coach Quin Snyder has advocated for the team to hang onto the former All-Star and that an agreement may ultimately hinge on Atlanta’s ability to flip D’Angelo Russell to a third team.
Within that same Athletic story, Amick says a high-ranking Lakers official “scoffed” at the idea that the club would ever consider trading LeBron James and cites team sources who say the franchise would “strongly prefer” for LeBron to ultimately retire as a Laker. With that in mind, Los Angeles’ desire to keep James happy is a factor to consider as the club weighs potential moves at the trade deadline, Amick notes.
Although Nic Claxton will be an unrestricted free agent at season’s end, the Nets would have to be blown away by an offer to consider moving him at this week’s deadline, writes Ian Begley of SNY.tv. Sources tell Begley that Brooklyn wants Claxton on its roster going forward and will be aggressive about trying to re-sign him in the offseason.

Lakers Rumors: Trade Market, Reaves, Russell, Vincent

February 6th, 2024 at 3:17pm CST by Luke Adams

After completing a 4-2 road trip with a victory in Charlotte on Monday, Lakers star LeBron James was asked if he thinks the team has enough to contend as is, or if an upgrade is needed on the trade market.

“It’s not a question for me,” James responded, per Dave McMenamin of ESPN. “I love who we have in the locker room. And that’s all I worry about. … We’re going to go out and prepare ourselves every single night no matter what it is. No matter who’s out on this team. No matter what.”

A team source tells McMenamin that Lakers head of basketball operations Rob Pelinka has been “stuck on calls” all day recently in search of trades that would make sense for the club. As Jovan Buha of The Athletic writes, Los Angeles would like to add another solid wing defender – ideally one who can shoot – and continues to seek a player who fits that bill.

Dejounte Murray, Dorian Finney-Smith, Jerami Grant, and Bruce Brown are still among the players who appeal to the Lakers, according to Buha, but Austin Reaves remains off limits in a deal for a trade target of that caliber, and veterans like D’Angelo Russell, Rui Hachimura, and Gabe Vincent aren’t nearly as coveted on the trade market. That means the club would have to add draft assets – including possibly its 2029 first-rounder and/or a first-round pick swap – in order to make a meaningful upgrade.

Here’s more on the Lakers:

The odds that the Lakers stand pat or just make a minor tweak along the edges of the roster have increased in recent days, writes Buha. There are a few reasons for that, Buha explains: L.A. has grown more confident in the possibility of internal improvement, the trade market favors sellers rather than buyers, and the team recognizes it could make a more significant move in the offseason when it has more first-round picks available to trade.
As trade rumors swirl around him, Russell was asked on Monday why he willingly gave up his right to veto a trade when he re-signed with the Lakers last summer. “I just thought it made sense,” Russell said, per McMenamin. “Obviously I’ve been here before, I played for the Lakers before, so I know what the requirements are to be successful here are. So, if you’re part of the future here you’ll be successful. If you’re not, you’ll get traded. And I’ve been traded before here. So, my approach is just a little different.”
Russell’s name has been mentioned in trade talks with the Nets, Hawks, and Raptors in recent weeks, sources tell McMenamin. Among players on those teams, Finney-Smith, Spencer Dinwiddie, Royce O’Neale, Murray, and Brown have all been connected to the Lakers.
Vincent appears on track to return to the court in early March, reports Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports. It’s not a sure thing that the injured guard will still be a Laker by then – since his name has popped up in some trade rumors – but he was given a recovery timeline of about eight-to-10 weeks after undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery in late December and remains on that schedule, Fischer says.
The Lakers have used 15 different starting lineups this season. As Khobi Price of The Orange County Register writes, head coach Darvin Ham is hoping his latest one – James, Anthony Davis, Hachimura, Reaves, and Russell – will stick. Of course, if either Hachimura or Russell is traded this week, that starting five will have already played its last game together.

Knicks Notes: Hartenstein, Brunson, Anunoby, Grimes, LeBron

February 4th, 2024 at 10:59am CST by Arthur Hill

Isaiah Hartenstein can expect a huge raise when he becomes a free agent this summer and he hopes it comes from the Knicks, writes Peter Botte of The New York Post. Hartenstein grabbed 15 rebounds Saturday night, the latest in a string of impressive performances since he took over as the team’s starting center following Mitchell Robinson‘s injury. This is Hartenstein’s first extended experience as a starter in his six years in the NBA, and he’s proving he can handle the challenge.

“Yeah, it’s great timing, I can’t lie about that,” Hartenstein said about his upcoming free agency, “but at the end of the day, I love it here in New York. The plan would be to stay, but at the end of the day, you can’t predict what’s going to happen. So you have to just go game-by-game. But I love New York, I love the fans, I think it’s something special. And I love winning, I think that’s the biggest thing.”

After signing Hartenstein to a two-year, $16MM deal in 2022, the Knicks own his Early Bird rights and can go over the salary cap to keep him. However, there’s no guarantee they’ll be willing to make a long-term investment with Robinson already under contract for the next two seasons.

“I feel like in the past I’ve had times where I’ve played minutes like this, but I don’t think it was ever over a consistent two-month span. I guess I’m just proving that I can be a starter in the NBA. I think I’ve done that,” Hartenstein said. “And us still winning is a part of that. I feel like you can be a starter, you can have great stats on a losing team, but it doesn’t really mean much. So just being in that starting role and playing heavy minutes on a winning team, I think that says a lot.”

There’s more from New York:

Jalen Brunson may be the Knicks’ best point guard since Walt Frazier, but he’s uncomfortable with comparisons to the Hall of Famer, Botte adds in a separate story. Brunson expressed admiration for Frazier, who still has a visible role with the team as a broadcaster. “Whenever I see him. I have to say ‘hi’ to him. I can’t just walk past him because he’s a legend,” Brunson said. “But to be able to see him every day just knowing the presence he brings around this organization, you have to respect him and you have to understand the things that he did as a player are remarkable.”
Coach Tom Thibobeau wasn’t able to offer an update on OG Anunoby, who missed his fourth straight game Saturday with elbow inflammation, tweets Tim Bontemps of ESPN. Thibodeau said Quentin Grimes is doing more on-court work after suffering a knee sprain, but both players are considered day-to-day (Twitter link).
During Saturday’s visit to Madison Square Garden, Lakers star LeBron James told reporters that he considered joining the Knicks when he was a free agent in 2010, per Dave McMenamin of ESPN. Although he doesn’t give it any chance of happening, Stefan Bondy of The New York Post makes the case that New York may be a better fit for James than L.A. at this point in his career.

Lakers Notes: Hachimura, Prince, Ham, LeBron

February 4th, 2024 at 8:59am CST by Arthur Hill

Lakers coach Darvin Ham unveiled another new starting five for Saturday’s win at New York, writes Khobi Price of The Orange County Register. With LeBron James and Anthony Davis both returning from one-game injury absences, Ham replaced Taurean Prince with Rui Hachimura, who made his eighth start of the year as Ham inserted more size into his frequently shifting lineup.

“Just coming out being bigger along the frontline,” Ham said. “Taurean, he has to do it on both sides of the ball. I just felt like him coming off the bench just would allow him to not only shore up our bench in terms of a defensive presence but also allow him to get some buckets too. We need him to score and be aggressive offensively. And so he was able to do that. It worked out well. It created a nice sense of balance.”

Prince, who came off the bench for the first time this season, still found a way to contribute, scoring 16 points in 33 minutes. He and Austin Reaves handled most of the offense as L.A. took over the game in the fourth quarter, combining for 16 of the team’s first 20 points.

“That’s what we need,” Ham added. “We have a team full of talented offensive players. The more they assert themselves and stay aggressive, and … deliver; take advantage of the opportunities that they have, the better it will be (and) the more endurance we’ll have for LeBron and A.D.”

There’s more on the Lakers:

Saturday’s win gives L.A. a 3-2 record on its annual Grammys road trip, which was expected to impact the team’s strategy heading into Thursday’s trade deadline, Price adds. The Lakers can wrap up a winning trip with a victory Monday at Charlotte, and they’ve moved within one game of eighth-place Dallas. “We’re just trying to get to a place where we’re playing the type of basketball we envisioned,” Ham said. “The type of basketball we know we’re capable of and defend at a high, high level. That’s (going to) give you a chance every night. And we’ve got enough firepower in terms of people in the starting lineup, people coming off the bench to where we’re (going to) be able to put points on the board.”
Ham isn’t concerned about the hourglass emoji tweet that James posted earlier this week, according to Tim Bontemps of ESPN (Twitter link). He said it’s a reflection of the urgency to win that comes with being part of the Lakers organization. “If I were him, I would’ve put out two or three hourglasses,” Ham quipped.
After Saturday’s game, James offered advice to young players who want to be successful in the NBA, saying it requires a total commitment to basketball, tweets Dave McMenamin of ESPN. “Just pour it all into the game ,” James said. “If you want to be great and if you want to be someone that will be never forgotten in the league, the cars and the jewelry and all the other dumb s–t that don’t matter means absolutely nothing.”

Pacific Notes: LeBron, AD, Westbrook, Harden, Little, Beal

February 3rd, 2024 at 3:51pm CST by Rory Maher

Speaking to reporters on Saturday, Lakers superstar LeBron James declined to elaborate on what he meant by sending out an hourglass emoji after Tuesday’s loss to Atlanta, writes Jovan Buha of The Athletic.

On Friday, Rich Paul, James’ agent, publicly said his most famous client won’t seek a trade and won’t be dealt ahead of the February 8 deadline.

There was no reputable reporting suggesting James would seek a trade, but there had been some speculation from fans and media members about his future, given the Lakers’ middling record (25-25) this season, his age (39), and his contract situation (he can become an unrestricted free agent this summer).

James said he hasn’t thought about whether or not he’s going to exercise his $51.4MM player option for 2024/25, as ESPN’s Dave McMenamin relays.

The Lakers were without James (left ankle peroneal tendinopathy) and Anthony Davis (bilateral Achilles tendinopathy and left hip spasms) for Thursday’s upset victory over Boston, and both players are questionable for Saturday’s contest in New York. James, who said he was “very proud” of the team’s effort vs. the Celtics, is “hoping” to play against the Knicks.

Here’s more from the Pacific:

According to Buha, James also addressed Jarred Vanderbilt‘s foot injury, which is expected to keep him out for several weeks. “Well, honestly, obviously, we took a big hit with Vando last game,” James said. “Our team has always been constructed around how healthy we can be and how much chemistry we can put on the floor. So, obviously, that’s a big-time hit, big-time blow for us. But guys have to pick it up in his absence. If we can play some good basketball, string a couple wins together, and not be so Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde on any given night, then we’ll be OK.”
Clippers guard Russell Westbrook reached a historic milestone in Friday’s win over Detroit, as he became just the 25th player in NBA history to score 25,000 career points (Twitter link via the league). The former league MVP is also only the second player to record at least 25,000 points, 9,000 assists and 8,000 rebounds — James is the other.
Regarding his omission from the All-Star game, Clippers guard James Harden says he’s focused on a bigger prize, per Law Murray of The Athletic. “I’ve got bigger goals,” Harden said. “None of that — scoring titles and assists and All-Stars and MVPs — right now. I’ve done it all. I’m here for one reason. And I think everybody knows what the reason is.” Harden, of course, is looking for his first NBA championship. The 34-year-old is averaging 16.9 PPG, 8.5 APG, 4.9 RPG, 1.2 SPG and 0.9 BPG in 42 games for the Clips this season (34.1 MPG). He’ll be an unrestricted free agent in the summer.
Suns forward Nassir Little is nonplussed by hearing his name in trade rumors, according to Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. “I’m doing good,” Little said. “It’s a normal thing in the league. It’s been like that since I’ve gotten into the league. Your name is always going to be thrown around in trade rumors. It’s part of the business. So I don’t really be seeing it that much, but I just chill until something happens. I get a text from my agent or somebody call me in the office, I’m going to keep doing what I got to do.” Little, 23, is in the first season of a four-year, $28MM rookie scale extension.
Suns star Kevin Durant praised Bradley Beal‘s toughness for playing through a broken nose he sustained last week against the Pacers, Rankin tweets. “He’s a soldier out there,” Durant said of Beal. “He could’ve easily took a game off in Orlando. Taken the rest of the game off in Indiana. … We’re behind him. We want him to continue to be aggressive.” Beal has missed 24 games this season due to back and ankle injuries and has struggled to get comfortable with the protective masks he’s wearing due to the nasal fracture, averaging 13.3 PPG (on .345/.125/.733 shooting), 7.0 APG and 4.5 RPG in the past four games (37.6 MPG).

Pacific Notes: Warriors Rumors, Lakers, Clippers

February 2nd, 2024 at 7:27pm CST by Rory Maher

The Warriors aren’t interested in trading Draymond Green or Klay Thompson ahead of the February 8 deadline, according to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, but they might consider moving Chris Paul or Andrew Wiggins.

Former No. 1 overall pick Wiggins is having a disappointing year, but he’s played much better recently, while Paul, who is currently injured after undergoing hand surgery, is 38 years old and on a pseudo-expiring contract. Speaking to reporters on Thursday, head coach Steve Kerr said he was aware of Wiggins being mentioned in trade rumors, but he hopes he’s still on the roster late next week.

“I’m very hopeful and I expect him to be here when the trade deadline passes,” Kerr said, per ESPN.

As for Green and Thompson, Windhorst’s report isn’t surprising. While Shams Charania of The Athletic has said Stephen Curry will be the only Warrior off the table in trade talks, he also downplayed the possibility of a trade involving Green or Thompson, two longtime veterans who helped Golden State win four championships — and make six Finals appearances — from 2015-22. Other reporting indicated Curry would have to sign off on such a deal, which was always considered unlikely.

Here’s more from the Pacific:

Appearing on 95.7 The Game’s Willard and Dibs show on Wednesday (Twitter link), Kerr said the Warriors might be better served by waiting for injured players to return rather than making trades. “We’re not going to find better players than (Chris Paul and Gary Payton II) in a trade,” Kerr said. “It’s exceedingly rare to make a deal where you can upgrade your talent to that level.” Payton has been out since January 2 with a grade 2 left hamstring strain. Kerr also mentioned Moses Moody as another injured contributor. As Anthony Slater of The Athletic tweets, Moody will miss this weekend’s back-to-back, but he has a chance to return on Monday after being out since January 10 due to a left calf strain. Dario Saric is also out for at least Friday, as he’s away from the team with an illness.
After a major upset victory over the Celtics in Boston on Thursday without stars LeBron James and Anthony Davis, Lakers guard Austin Reaves said the team responded well to James’ frustrated comments about “doing their jobs,” which occurred after Tuesday’s lopsided loss to Atlanta (YouTube link). Reaves scored a season-high 32 points (on 10-of-18 shooting, including 7-of-10 from deep) in Thursday’s win.
The Clippers had more total victories in December and January than any team in the NBA. Should they even make a trade? Law Murray of The Athletic explores that topic, writing that P.J. Tucker, Bones Hyland and Brandon Boston look to be the three most likely trade candidates, but L.A. may just stand pat.
Tucker expressed frustration with his role — or lack thereof — in December, and nothing has changed since. However, he’s 39, doesn’t contribute much on offense, and holds a $11.54MM player option for 2024/25, which all hurt his trade value. According to Murray, the veteran forward has been a positive locker room presence, particularly for Russell Westbrook and James Harden, but the Clippers forward admits he’s trying to balance being a professional “while trying to get in a better situation for me, personally,” he told The Athletic. “It kind of is what it is at this point.” Tucker expressed skepticism about the possibility of turning down his player option, making him an unlikely buyout candidate. “That all depends on the situation, timing, where,” Tucker said. “It’s a lot of things that plays into that. I worked hard to be able to get myself in that position. The contract I got, the timing I got it, and all that … it means a lot and something I don’t take for granted. It’s definitely going to take a lot of thought and it’s going to take a real, real opportunity for me to have to go against that.”

Agent Says LeBron James Won’t Be Traded

February 2nd, 2024 at 11:00am CST by Luke Adams

Lakers star LeBron James won’t ask to be traded and won’t be dealt ahead of next Thursday’s deadline, agent Rich Paul tells Brian Windhorst of ESPN.

There has been no reputable reporting suggesting that James was considering requesting a trade or that the Lakers were weighing the possibility of moving him.

However, there has been some speculation from fans and media members about LeBron’s future, given the Lakers’ middling record (25-25) this season, his age (39), and his contract situation (he can become an unrestricted free agent this summer).

James perhaps fueled that speculation by cryptically tweeting an hourglass emoji following Tuesday’s loss, but Paul opted to shut down it before it went any further, telling ESPN, “LeBron won’t be traded, and we aren’t asking to be.”

Paul’s comments come as no surprise. Although James has changed teams multiple times over the course of his lengthy career, he has never requested a mid-season trade, haing always made his moves during free agency, and the Lakers wouldn’t look to move one of the NBA’s all-time greats without a push from him.

James has, on the other hand, made a habit over the years of putting pressure on his teams’ front offices by making comments to reporters or on social media hinting that roster upgrades are necessary. His hourglass tweet may have been referencing the time ticking down until the February 8 trade deadline or on the Lakers to salvage their up-and-down season.

The Lakers had an encouraging showing on Thursday, pulling out an upset victory over the Celtics in Boston despite James (ankle) and Anthony Davis (Achilles/hip) both missing the game.

Injury Notes: Stewart, Muscala, James, Davis, Williamson, Jones, Jokic

February 1st, 2024 at 10:53pm CST by Tristan Tucker

Pistons center Isaiah Stewart will be sidelined for 10-to-14 days with an ankle sprain, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link). Detroit later confirmed the news via a press release.

Stewart missed Detroit’s Wednesday matchup against the Cavaliers after suffering the injury in the Sunday victory over the Thunder. The 6’8″ big man previously missed eight games in a row with a lingering toe injury. In total, he’s been unavailable for 12 games this year and will miss more with this ankle injury.

The fourth-year center is averaging 11.0 points and 6.8 rebounds per night while shooting 47.0% from the floor and 37.4% from beyond the arc. He has started every game but one for the Pistons this season.

We have more injury notes from around the league:

Stewart isn’t the only member of the Pistons dealing with an injury, as forward/center Mike Muscala exited the game against the Cavs in the first quarter. According to a release from the team, Muscala suffered a concussion and is beginning a mandated return-to-participation process that must be completed before returning to basketball activities, per the league’s concussion policy. There is no timetable for his return, according to the release.
Lakers stars LeBron James and Anthony Davis weren’t available for Thursday’s victory over the Celtics, according to The Orange County Register’s Khobi Price. James was listed as out with left ankle peroneal tendinopathy while Davis continues to be affected by bilateral Achilles tendinopathy and left hip spasms. “Those guys [are] dealing with two active injuries that we have been pretty much managing all year that got inflamed a little bit,” coach Darvin Ham said pregame. “Wanted to let them go through shootaround, see how it was, determined ultimately that they will be out for the night.“
Pelicans forwards Zion Williamson (left foot bone contusion) and Herbert Jones (right adductor soreness) missed New Orleans’ Wednesday matchup against the Rockets (Twitter link). Williamson and Jones went through parts of practice on Thursday but both players, alongside Larry Nance Jr., are considered questionable to play on Friday in San Antonio, per NOLA.com’s Christian Clark (Twitter links).
After missing Wednesday’s contest against Oklahoma City, Nuggets star Nikola Jokic is questionable for Friday’s outing versus Portland with low back pain, according to The Denver Gazette’s Vinny Benedetto (Twitter link). The injury is not expected to be a long-term issue.

Western Notes: Kuminga, Lakers, Wolves, Watson

January 31st, 2024 at 10:42pm CST by Rory Maher

At 20-24, the No. 12 seed in the West, the Warriors certainly aren’t where they hoped to be in the standings at this point in the 2023/24 season. However, one bright spot of late has been the play of third-year forward Jonathan Kuminga, says Anthony Slater of The Athletic.

As Slater writes, Kuminga has been highly efficient attacking the paint over the past seven games, scoring 20-plus each game in averaging 25.1 points, 6.7 rebounds and 1.3 steals while shooting 61.9% from the field (32.0 minutes). Star guard Stephen Curry thinks Kuminga is turning a corner in his development.

“(He has) clarity on how he can impact the game,” Curry said. “Defensive intensity, pressure, taking what the defense gives him on the offensive end. Whether it’s attacking driving lanes, finishing at the rim, getting transition buckets for us, and knocking down open shots. There’s just an element of aggressiveness. You don’t want him out there second-guessing anything.”

Playing Kuminga more and letting him learn from mistakes shows the team finally realized it needed to shake things up, especially on offense, according to Tim Kawakami of The Athletic, who notes that Andrew Wiggins has played well lately too with Draymond Green starting at center.

Kuminga’s prominent role is in stark contrast to the uneven minutes he received earlier this season, with a report just a few weeks ago suggesting the 21-year-old was losing faith in head coach Steve Kerr. However, Slater recently said Kuminga has felt better about his situation since he met with Kerr in the wake of that report.

Here’s more from the Western Conference:

Christian Wood sent out a tweet saying “lol” shortly before the Lakers announced their starting lineup on Tuesday featured Jaxson Hayes starting at center with Anthony Davis sidelined, but he said after the game it wasn’t related to basketball, writes Jovan Buha of The Athletic. “I meant to quote (tweet) something,” Wood said. “I thought I did and I just pressed send, and I couldn’t check my phone before because we have to go out (to the court), but it was an accident. … I looked at it just now. … It came off a certain type of way. I didn’t mean it that way.” After the loss to Atlanta, LeBron James also sent out a cryptic hourglass emoji, Buha adds. The trade deadline is next Thursday, and the Lakers are currently 24-25.
The Timberwolves have only advanced past the first round of the playoffs once in franchise history. How will they handle the pressure of being considered a title contender? ESPN’s Brian Windhorst explores that topic, writing that Karl-Anthony Towns‘ willingness to adjust his game has paid dividends thus far in 2023/24. “The winning helps. It’s good when you’re able to sacrifice to see the result you wanted and share the success,” Towns said. “We’re all making this happen. This is not just a singular effort. This is a team coming together and saying ‘We really want to do something special.’“
Already an impressive defender in year two, Nuggets forward Peyton Watson says he’s looking to expand his game on the other end of the court, according to Harrison Wind of DNVR Sports. Watson has been taking far more mid-range shots lately, an area he’s comfortable in. “Coming in as a young player and trying to make a name for yourself and get a spot in the rotation, you’re not just coming in shooting of the dribble jumpers,” Watson told DNVR. “That’s not analytically the best shot, especially if you’re someone just coming in and trying to create his role. Now that I’ve created my role and people know what I’m going to do on the defensive end, it’s just been more about me expanding my game offensively, seeing what works, trial and error, and getting ready for when it counts in the playoffs.”

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