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Western Notes: Gobert, Mitchell, Jazz, Westbrook, Vezenkov

September 5th, 2022 at 8:30pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert had some differences with Donovan Mitchell over the years but he feels his former Jazz teammate will thrive with the Cavaliers, he told Antonis Stroggylakis of Eurohoops.net.

“I think he has a bright future,” Gobert said. “He’s one of the best young players in his position. He’s going to keep getting better. I think it’s a great opportunity for him to just get to a new system, a new team and be able to show what he can do.”

Gobert also praised Utah executive Danny Ainge for the players and draft picks he collected from Cleveland in the trade: “I think he definitely did a great job in getting as many assets as possible.”

We have more Western Conference news:

  • Jazz fans will need to get acquainted with all the players the team has acquired in the Gobert, Mitchell and Patrick Beverley trades. Eric Walden of the Salt Lake Tribune takes a quick look at each of the acquisitions, highlighted by Collin Sexton and lottery pick Ochai Agbaji.
  • Russell Westbrook is expected to show up if LeBron James hosts a players-only minicamp before Lakers training camp, as James has often done in the past, Marc Stein reports in Substack article. The mini-camp would help ease any lingering tensions among their veteran players. Citing well-placed sources, Stein adds that the franchise won’t sit out Westbrook if he remains on the roster, unlike what the Rockets did with John Wall last season. New coach Darvin Ham will carve out a role for Westbrook if he’s not dealt.
  • Kings draft-and-stash prospect Sasha Vezenkov said he’s not focused on a potential jump to the NBA for the 2023/24 season, according to Semih Tuna of EuroHoops.net. “It’s a big season, I have a big priority with my team Olympiacos in what will be a very difficult year,” he said. “My only thought is to stay focused and stay healthy, to give everything I can [to Olympiacos]. And then we will see. Next summer is ten months away.” Vezenkov, 27, was a 2017 second-round pick. The Bulgarian star is the leading scorer in the EuroBasket event.
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Pacific Notes: Landale, Westbrook, LeBron, Iguodala

September 4th, 2022 at 11:59am CST by Arthur Hill

Jock Landale concentrated on the basics of the game during his rookie season in San Antonio and he expects to fill the same role now that he’s with the Suns, writes Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. The Australian center focused on rebounding, running the floor and knocking down open shots in the 54 games he played with the Spurs. He got traded twice this offseason — first to Atlanta, then to Phoenix — and has been adjusting to his new situation with one of the NBA’s best teams.

“That was kind of my first wake-up call that this is a business and there isn’t a whole lot of loyalty involved in the sport,” Landale said. “That’s just the way it is and just came to terms to that pretty quickly I suppose, but obviously, I’m super pumped to be with the Suns now because they’re always an organization I looked at and watched play from afar. Just love the way that they operate. Now just being here and actually experiencing the level of care and the level of winning mentality and attitudes around the locker room and the organization as a whole, you realize they’re putting so much into this year as I’m sure they have the last two years.”

Landale said he talked to several members of San Antonio’s front office during the Las Vegas Summer League, and they all spoke positively about Phoenix coach Monty Williams. Landale also got a glowing recommendation on the Suns from fellow Australian Aron Baynes, who was in Las Vegas in hopes of an NBA comeback.

“Baynes, he spoke really highly of the guys, the organization, Monty, all of that,” Landale said. “I think it’s getting to that point that Monty’s reputation kind of speaks for itself. Everybody has great things to say about him and that’s kind of the testament to the body of work he’s put in with his players as a coach. Now being on such a highly regarded winning team, nothing I say will be out of the ordinary because his reputation speaks for itself. He’s a fantastic man and coach.”

There’s more from the Pacific Division:

  • The Lakers will have to give up a first-round pick to unload Russell Westbrook and two first-rounders if they’re hoping to land more than one rotation player, sources tell Dan Woike of The Los Angeles Times. Depending on the deal, that price could increase to include pick swaps or it could decrease if L.A. is willing to take on unwanted contracts.
  • Lakers star LeBron James is a bargain even at his new two-year, $97.1MM extension, according to Sopan Deb of The New York Times. In addition to his on-court value, James brings in a lot of revenue from the attention he attracts to the franchise.
  • Warriors veteran Andre Iguodala defended teammate Jonathan Kuminga after ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith raised questions about the young forward’s attitude, relays Nathan Dougherty of Heavy. “My young fella, I’m on his head,” Iguodala said Friday on his “Point Forward” podcast. “He took some licks from Stephen A. I don’t know how warranted they were because from what I heard he been doing what he supposed to do this summer.”
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And-Ones: McCaw, Cole, LeBron, D. Whitehead, League Pass

August 31st, 2022 at 6:21pm CST by Arthur Hill

Team USA isn’t filled with stars for this summer’s competition, but their absence could help players like Patrick McCaw and Norris Cole get another shot at the NBA, writes Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press. They’re part of the American team participating in the FIBA AmeriCup tournament, which begins Friday in Brazil.

“I think it’s more about representing the USA for me right now,” said McCaw, who played for three teams in five years and won championship rings in his first three NBA seasons. “I want to make it back to the NBA. I know that’s a process. And I know one day, whenever, next week, next month, next year, when it’s supposed to happen, it’ll happen. But right now, I’m just focusing on this USA, wearing these three letters, giving my all to this team and representing the United States of America.”

The odds may be even longer for Cole, who went to the NBA Finals with the Heat during his first three seasons in the league. Cole has been out of the league since 2017 and has been trying to revive his career with a long list of overseas teams.

“I still have the ability,” said Cole, who will turn 34 in October. “God has still blessed me with the ability. I still have the fire, the hunger and I still feel like I have something to prove, things that I would like to accomplish as a player. That feeling of winning a championship, the mission, the goal, the work to try to get to that point again, that’s what drives me as a competitor. And I want that feeling again.”

There’s more news from around the basketball world:

  • LeBron James talks to Chris Ballard of Sports Illustrated about his desire to eventually play in the NBA with his teenage sons. Bronny is a high school senior and will be eligible for the draft in 2024, but Bryce is only 15 and can’t get to the league until 2027, raising questions of whether LeBron has that many years left. “I feel like I could play for quite a while,” he said. “So it’s all up to my body, but more importantly, my mind. If my mind can stay sharp and fresh and motivated, then the sky’s not even a limit for me. I can go beyond that. But we shall see.”
  • Duke’s Dariq Whitehead, projected as a top-10 pick in next year’s draft, had surgery on Tuesday for a fracture in his right foot, per Myron Medcalf of ESPN. Whitehead is out indefinitely and the school says he will return sometime “this fall.”
  • The NBA has reduced the price of League Pass by more than half for the upcoming season, according to Jacob Feldman of Yahoo. The standard price has been cut from $230 to $100, and the premium package has fallen from $280 to $130.
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Jeanie Buss Discusses LeBron’s Extension, Westbrook, More

August 30th, 2022 at 3:36pm CST by JD Shaw

Lakers owner Jeanie Buss discussed a variety of topics with Sam Amick of The Athletic, including LeBron James signing an extension with the team, how important Russell Westbrook was last season and more. James agreed to extend his deal earlier this month, while Westbrook has been at the center of trade speculation this summer.

“I’ll stay cautiously optimistic, but it is a big vote of confidence when LeBron James signs a two-year extension, when he had many months to do so,” Buss said as part of a much larger quote. “And you know, it was a priority to us. It’s a priority to the Laker brand that he retire a Laker. We’ll probably enjoy watching him as he approaches becoming the all-time leading scorer in history.”

As Amick notes, James had until June 30, 2023 to extend his deal. He’s now under contract through the 2023/24 season and owns a $50.4MM player option for the 2024/25 campaign. He’s coming off an excellent year, averaging 30.3 points, 8.2 rebounds and 6.2 assists per game on 52% shooting.

Buss curiously tabbed Westbrook as the team’s best player last season, later clarifying she should’ve used the word “consistent” instead of “best.” Westbrook played in 78 games — the most of anyone on the team — but his production certainly wasn’t where James’ was.

“All I can say is that, from my point of view, (Westbrook) was our best player last year,” Buss said. “He played pretty much every single game, showed up, worked hard. You know, I would have loved to have seen what this team would have looked like if they stayed healthy.

“It’s really tough to win when Anthony Davis isn’t on the court. LeBron was hurt a lot of the season. But Russ showed up every game and played hard every night. And, you know, I just really appreciate him for who he is and what he brings to the team.”

When it comes to health, Buss has a great point. Westbrook, James and Davis only played in 21 games together last season. The games were also scattered throughout the campaign. Chemistry still matters when forming a big three. In 2010/11, James was part of a core that featured Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in Miami. The team started 9-8, then wound up going 49-16 after that as a result.

While the Lakers certainly had issues related to their supporting cast, defense and three-point shooting (the team shot 34.7%, ranked 22nd in the league), it’s clear that health issues were a major factor in the club’s failure to reach its full potential. In the end, Los Angeles finished with a 33-49 record and missed the playoffs.

“Last season was a huge disappointment,” Buss said as part of her assessment. “I think if you look back, exactly a year ago there was a lot of media who predicted us to be at the top. We certainly didn’t live up to that expectation, and it was hugely disappointing because you can’t possibly contend for a championship if you’re not even in the playoffs.

“So we made some changes. And, you know, I think changes needed to be made. … We have a new coach, and I’m excited to see what he brings and I want to give him all the time and resources that he needs to build a successful program.”

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Pacific Notes: Ham, LeBron, Westbrook, Murray, Hightower, Warriors

August 28th, 2022 at 8:19pm CST by JD Shaw

Lakers coach Darvin Ham recently expressed excitement about LeBron James inking an extension with the team, as relayed by Tomer Azarly of ClutchPoints. James agreed to extend his deal through the 2023/24 season, also owning a $50.4MM player option for the 2024/25 campaign.

“It’s huge, man,” Ham acknowledged. “It’s huge. LeBron is a once-in-a-lifetime player. You only get so many players. Not even so many. You have Bill Russell, you have Wilt Chamberlain, you have Dr. J, you have Moses Malone, you had Larry Bird, Magic [Johnson], you had [Michael] Jordan, you had Allen Iverson, Shaq [O’Neal], Kobe [Bryant], and now it’s LeBron’s time.”

James led the Lakers to a championship in 2020 and is focused on doing it again this season. The team lacks the wing defenders it had that year (Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Danny Green and Alex Caruso, among others), but it still has a talented roster on paper — one also headlined by Anthony Davis.

Here are some other notes from the Pacific:

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Lakers Notes: Durant, Westbrook, James, Closing Unit

August 23rd, 2022 at 6:42pm CST by Dana Gauruder

With the Nets’ statement that they and Kevin Durant intend to “move forward” with their partnership, the Lakers’ approach regarding Russell Westbrook actually becomes clearer, according to Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times.

Now that a potential Kyrie Irving trade involving Westbrook is presumably off the table, the Lakers are free to explore alternatives, Woike explains. It could facilitate their decision regarding whether they’ll ride with Westbrook in the upcoming season or deal him to another potential suitor.

We have more on the Lakers:

  • LeBron James‘ decision to sign a two-year extension this summer shows that winning another title is no longer his primary goal, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said on SportsCenter (video link). Instead, it shows he’s content to stay put, even though the Lakers haven’t made a major move this summer, and he’s also intent on eventually playing with his son Bronny. “With this decision by LeBron, you really see his two biggest priorities — priority one is being a Los Angeles Laker, priority two is leaving the door open to play with his son in two years,” Windhorst said. “Winning championships is still high on that list but it seems like it’s a little bit more in third position.”
  • Assuming the Lakers don’t bring in another major piece, what kind of lineups could they construct to produce the best results? Jovan Buha of The Athletic explores this topic, including his suggestion of the best “closing unit” on the roster — a group that includes James, Anthony Davis, Troy Brown Jr., Juan Toscano-Anderson and Austin Reaves.
  • The Lakers reportedly have some interest in bringing back Dennis Schröder. Get the details here.
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LeBron James, Udonis Haslem Set To Join NBA’s 20-Season Club

August 22nd, 2022 at 7:52am CST by Luke Adams

The list of NBA veterans who have played 20 or more seasons in the league will grow by at least two this year, as Lakers star LeBron James and Heat big man Udonis Haslem are set to become the ninth and 10th players to spend at least two decades on NBA rosters.

The players already in the NBA’s 20-season club are as follows:

While James and the majority of the other players on the above list spent time with multiple teams over the course of their lengthy NBA careers, Haslem is on track to join an even more exclusive club, having only played for the Heat during his 20 years in the league.

Nowitzki (21 seasons with the Mavericks) and Bryant (20 with the Lakers) are the only two other players to spend at least two decades with a single team. Prior to deciding on Sunday to return for one final season in Miami, Haslem had been tied on that list with Tim Duncan, who spent 19 years with the Spurs, and John Stockton, who spent 19 with the Jazz.

Haslem will also become the first member of the 20-season club who began his NBA career as an undrafted player. In fact, James and the other eight players with 20 seasons under their belts were all lottery picks. Bryant, the No. 13 selection in 1996, was the lowest draft pick of any of those nine players, making Haslem’s accomplishment all the more remarkable.

Although Haslem defied the odds to spend 20 years with a single team after going undrafted, he confirmed on Sunday that he intends to retire after the 2022/23 season, so he won’t move any higher on the list of the NBA’s seasons played leaders. James, on the other hand, has a good chance to match or surpass Carter’s record of 22 years in the league — LeBron is already under contract through 2024/25, which would be his 22nd NBA season.

Finally, it’s worth noting that a third player is in position to join James and Haslem and become the 11th player in the 20-season club in 2022/23. Carmelo Anthony, who also entered the NBA in 2003 and has played for 19 years, remains unsigned as an unrestricted free agent, but seems likely to catch on with an NBA team either before opening night or at some point during the season.

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Chet Holmgren Believed To Be OK After Rolling Ankle In Pro-Am Game

August 21st, 2022 at 9:20am CST by Arthur Hill

Thunder rookie Chet Holmgren had to leave Saturday’s Seattle pro-am game after rolling his ankle, but the injury doesn’t appear to be serious, tweets Nathan Thompson of Fox 23 Sports in Oklahoma. Thompson provides a video of the play, which happened early in the game as Holmgren was defending LeBron James on a fast break.

The contest, which featured an impressive array of NBA talent, had to be called midway through the second quarter because of unsafe court conditions, writes Kevin Pelton of ESPN. The combination of unusually humid weather and a crowd of nearly 3,000 people that packed the gym at Seattle Pacific University led to condensation issues that made the court too slippery to continue.

The decision to end the game was made after Bucks rookie MarJon Beauchamp slipped while attempting a layup.

“You don’t get a day like this often, but it’s my job to protect everybody’s safety,” said league founder Jamal Crawford. “On the court, I couldn’t risk those guys taking a chance of getting hurt. It’s not worth that. It’s supposed to drive inspiration and give hope and they did that. The job was accomplished.”

According to Pelton, fans began lining up Friday night in hopes of being admitted to the venue. Thousands of people were left outside once the small gym reached its capacity.

James received a thunderous ovation when the crowd first caught a glimpse of him, and tipoff was delayed as a group of fans surrounded him on the court. Crawford addressed the crowd over the PA system, asking for order to be restored amid a warning from Seattle police that the game might have to be shut down.

Once play began, Celtics star Jayson Tatum provided some early highlights, hitting three shots from three-point range and blowing kisses to the fans (video link). He also threw a lob pass to James at the end of the first quarter that resulted in a crowd-pleasing dunk.

“Obviously, everybody didn’t get in and everybody probably could never get in,” Crawford said after the game. “We tried to do the best we can. We tried to provide an experience that we’ve never had before. I thought that overall it was great because I think it’s moments and memories that the kids will never forget.”

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LeBron James Among NBA Stars in Seattle Pro-Am League

August 20th, 2022 at 5:25pm CST by Arthur Hill

LeBron James highlights a list of NBA players who will participate in a Seattle pro-am league later today, according to NBA.com.

The league is called “The CrawsOver” in honor of founder Jamal Crawford, a Seattle native and longtime NBA player. Announcing James’ participation on Twitter, Crawford promises it will be “a day like we’ve never seen.”

“A lot of kids in this area especially have only seen their favorite players whether it be on TV or on video games,” Crawford said on ESPN’s “NBA Today” (Twitter link). “To see their favorite players right there in person, to reach out and touch them. And they may have interaction with you. If you’re a kid working to get better and to dream about being on that level, that makes your dreams more realistic.” 

Crawford added that he asks the area kids which NBA players they would like to see and he tries to get them to attend.

James also tweeted about the event, noting that it’s his first game in Seattle in more than 15 years. He was the featured attraction last month in the pro-am Drew League in Los Angeles, which marked his first public game since the NBA season ended.

Established stars such as Jayson Tatum, Dejounte Murray, Isaiah Thomas and Aaron Gordon are also scheduled to play today, along with first-round picks Paolo Banchero, Chet Holmgren, Tari Eason and MarJon Beauchamp. There could be an opportunity for Murray and Banchero to renew their rivalry that began with an incident at Thomas’ pro-am game two weeks ago.

Fans can watch the game live on both the NBA app and NBA.com. It’s scheduled to tip off at 8:30 PM Eastern Time.

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Pacific Notes: Wiggins, Westbrook, Kyrie, LeBron

August 18th, 2022 at 5:52pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Fresh off his first NBA title and All-Star selection in 2021/22, Warriors starting small forward Andrew Wiggins is hoping to prove his mettle as one of the NBA’s best defensive players, as he told Vince Carter on the retired eight-time All-Star’s podcast, The VC Show with Vince Carter (h/t to Andrei de Guzman of TalkBasket).

“One thing I’m really gonna strive for this upcoming season is being on the [All-]Defensive Team,” Wiggins said. “That’s a big goal of mine, and hopefully I opened some eyes in the playoffs and I can be on the radar. I ain’t get not one vote this year! I took it personal in the playoffs!”

There’s more out of the Pacific Division:

  • With Lakers All-Star forward LeBron James newly signed to a lucrative extension that will at least keep him in Los Angeles through 2024, it’s possible that L.A. will be more receptive to including draft capital in a trade to get off the contract of embattled point guard Russell Westbrook, opines Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report. Pincus suspects that Westbrook could be moved to the Nets, Pacers or Spurs, should the Lakers indeed be willing to part with their 2027 and 2029 first-round draft picks. Pincus notes that the Jazz also have the assets to possibly pique the interest of the Lakers’ front office in a deal. During his first season with his hometown team, the 33-year-old veteran proved to be an awkward on-court fit alongside James as a ball-dominant guard without a jump shot or much defensive effort.
  • Prior to his inking the aforementioned extension with the Lakers, James was “privately adamant” about wanting the Lakers trade for his former Cavaliers teammate Kyrie Irving, writes Jovan Buha of The Athletic. Whether such a transaction for the seven-time All-Star, currently with the Nets, comes to pass remains to be seen.
  • The new two-year, $97.1MM contract extension James signed with the Lakers can benefit both James and Los Angeles, opines Dave McMenamin of ESPN (YouTube video link). By opting to commit to the Lakers at this juncture (the extension could have been signed as late as next summer), James has given the team the green light to make moves around him in order to hopefully resume deep playoff runs. In turn, the 17-time championship-winning Lakers want to showcase themselves as a desirable landing place for marquee free agents in the years to come. McMenamin adds that, should L.A. prove unable to compete at a championship level within the next two seasons, James is able to retain some of his future flexibility to an extent by making the second year of the deal, the 2024/25 season, a player option.
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