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Central Notes: Bledsoe, Bucks, Porter, Lopez

March 3rd, 2019 at 6:50pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Bucks’ decision to give point guard Eric Bledsoe a four-year, $70MM extension was a sensible move by both parties, Bobby Marks of ESPN argues. It’s a worthwhile price to retain Bledsoe and keep the core group together and that should aid their recruiting pitch to All-Star Giannis Antetokounmpo as he approaches free agency in 2021. Bledsoe has become a more efficient player in Milwaukee, particularly in coach Mike Budenholzer’s system. With that order of business out of the way, the Bucks front office can now concentrate on re-signing Khris Middleton and restricted free agent Malcolm Brogdon this summer, Marks adds.

We have more from the Central Division:

The Bucks had a much more sensible plan to build around Antetokounmpo than the Lakers did with LeBron James, Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times opines. Milwaukee has a completely different scheme under Budenholzer, surrounding its star with shooters through savvy decisions in free agency and trades. That has opened up driving lanes for Antetokounmpo. Los Angeles’ front office brought in playmakers and ballhandlers around James, Woike notes, which is why the Lakers rank 28th in 3-point shooting.
The Bulls have a much brighter outlook than they did at this time last season, when they went into full tank mode, Matt John of Basketball Insiders notes. The addition of Otto Porter has allowed the Bulls to improve its spacing offensively. Improved health for second-year power forward Lauri Markkanen has also made a difference, as he’s enjoying the best stretch of his young career, John continues. Shooting guard Zach LaVine remains a defensive liability but in a recent eight-game stretch, Chicago was a plus-8.2 with him on the floor, Johns points out. The Bulls will still get a high lottery pick and should continue to be on the upswing, John concludes.
It’s not out of the question that Robin Lopez re-signs with the Bulls, according to Sam Smith of the team’s website. The veteran center is showing his value as an offensive factor due to Wendell Carter Jr.‘s injury. The front office was concerned that Lopez couldn’t be effective switching and getting out to the perimeter defensively, but recently few teams have beaten the Bulls at his position, Smith notes. Lopez will want to test the market but with the team’s frontcourt needs expanding, his return for next season will be under consideration, Smith adds.

Lakers Notes: LeBron, Ball, Open Roster Spot

February 26th, 2019 at 12:50pm CST by Luke Adams

The Lakers‘ push for a playoff spot took another step back on Monday night, as LeBron James‘ squad dropped a 110-105 decision to the Grizzlies in Memphis. The loss dropped the Lakers’ record to 29-31, putting them two games behind the Kings for ninth place in the West, and three games behind the No. 8 Spurs.

After the game, James was asked if the pressure of living up to expectations for the 2018/19 season and earning a spot in the postseason was becoming a distraction for the Lakers, as Dave McMenamin of ESPN.com relays.

“At this point if you are still allowing distractions to affect how the way you play, then this is the wrong franchise to be a part of and you should just come and be like, ‘Listen, I don’t [think this is for me]. I cannot do this,'” James said. “Like, seriously, if you’re distracted by playoff pushes out of all the stuff that’s been talked about this year, nah. Just come and do your job. We do our job at a high level and that’s not a distraction. That’s what you want. … You want to feel like you’re fighting for something.”

While LeBron’s comments could be construed as veiled criticism of some of his teammates, Bill Oram of The Athletic, who posed the question to James, didn’t interpret them that way. In Oram’s view (Twitter link), James was rejecting the notion that the playoff push was a distraction, rather than calling out any of his teammates for being distracted.

Here’s more out of Los Angeles on the Lakers:

Lakers head coach Luke Walton said on Monday that there’s still no timeline for Lonzo Ball‘s return to the lineup, per Broderick Turner of The Los Angeles Times. Ball has been sidelined since January 19 due to a left ankle sprain and bone bruise.
The Lakers continue to consider potential options for the open spot on their 15-man roster, Turner notes in the same article, citing sources who say the team wouldn’t mind acquiring another big man. Walton indicated that he has spoken to the front office about possible targets. “I’ve had conversations with them about a lot of things, but they’re looking to see how they can help improve the team with that last spot,” Walton said. “But no decision from what I’ve been told so far on what that’ll be.”
For all of the latest news and rumors on the Lakers, be sure to check out their team page right here.

LeBron James Talks Lakers’ Struggles, Camaraderie, Injuries

February 24th, 2019 at 9:26pm CST by marksuleymanov

At 29-30, the Lakers occupy 10th place in the Western Conference, three games back of the Clippers for the eighth seed. Injuries and inconsistencies have dampened the organization’s hope to end a postseason drought that has persisted since 2013.

Following a 128-115 blowout loss to the Anthony Davis-less Pelicans on Saturday, those hopes took another blow. After publicly stating he has “activated” playoff mode to ensure his new team does not miss the playoffs, LeBron James has now openly questioned his team’s effort. James has played in eight straight NBA Finals and reached the series nine times in the last 12 seasons.

However, the most serious injury of his career — a groin strain that sidelined him for over a month — also played a role in the team’s decline. Speaking to reporters on Sunday, James weighed in on the team and how the reality of the year has evolved, per Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times.

On expecting the season to be a challenge…

“I knew it was going to be very challenging, just because of the [limited] experience the roster had at that point and time. I knew it was going to be challenging from that sense, but I felt like we could still play better basketball. And we were doing that and obviously it sucks that my injury happened and (Lonzo Ball)’s injury happened and so many of our injuries happened. And we had suspensions in there.”

On injuries impacting the season thus far…

“So, I’m huge on chemistry and camaraderie … but the injuries have felt like it’s taken a toll on our team. So hopefully we can get ‘Zo back soon to kind of help that out. And hopefully we can start playing a little bit better too.”

On needing to overcome challenges…

“It’s how you approach the game every day. It’s how you think the game every day. It’s how you play the game. It’s how you prepare for the game. And it’s not even like when you get to the arena. It’s like way before that. It’s like, basketball, is that the most important thing while we’re doing this? Is it the most important thing in your life at this time? If you feel like you’re giving it all to the game, then you can do other things. But if you feel like you’re not giving as much as you can, then you can’t focus on anything else. That’s just … my personal take.”

David Griffin Talks LeBron James, Cavs, Lakers

February 22nd, 2019 at 3:55pm CST by Luke Adams

David Griffin‘s name continues to surface when teams around the NBA make front office changes, as he was most recently identified as a potential target for the Pelicans. For now though, Griffin remains without an NBA job, allowing the former Cavaliers general manager to freely share his thoughts on teams around the league.

Griffin did just that in a conversation with Michael Shapiro of SI.com, revisiting his days in Cleveland and weighing in on the challenges facing Magic Johnson and Rob Pelinka, who are now the ones tasked with building a title contender around LeBron James.

Griffin made several interesting comments in the Q&A, which is worth checking out in full. Here are some of the highlights from the former Cavs GM:

On the pressure of being the GM for a team with LeBron on its roster:

“It’s not just the pressure with LeBron, it’s that the only mark of success each year was winning a championship. … It was like you’re taking care of the legacy of Babe Ruth. Nobody knows who his general manager was, and nobody really knows if that general manager was successful or not. But because the Yankees won as many championships as they did, Ruth and [Lou] Gehrig and those guys’ legacies are what they are. It was something we felt responsible for. This is the greatest player of his generation, and if you’re not delivering championships, you’re failing.”

On the idea that LeBron was the “shadow GM” in Cleveland (and now in Los Angeles):

“It’s just an asinine assertion that he was a shadow GM. LeBron was one of many people on the team who we talked to, it just so happens he’s a basketball savant. You wouldn’t be doing your job if you didn’t talk to him about the pieces you might want to bring to the franchise. And he’s going to be an alpha leader in the locker room, and if he feels comfortable with certain players you’re bringing in, his opinion matters.

“… The ‘LeBron is the GM, all-powerful, in charge of the franchise’ idea is, to me, preposterous. Now, I’m not in Los Angeles, I don’t experience anything they’re going through, but in my experience, I see a lot of the same nonsense from the media. If you are leading LeBron and you are leading your team, you’re getting incredible input from him because you asked for it.”

On what the Lakers should aim to do with their roster around LeBron this offseason:

“I think way too much is put into the idea that you have max cap space for two max players, and therefore you must land the plane on key free agents. I don’t think that’s the case, and I don’t think you need to land the plane of Anthony Davis. You need to maximize your asset value all the time, and no harm befalls you as long as you don’t use that space poorly. So it doesn’t have to have a name attached to it, their next asset doesn’t have to be Anthony Davis. If they remain flexible they’ll be able to accumulate the right assets for the good of the franchise.”

Pacific Notes: Chandler, Mbah a Moute, LeBron, Kings, Lakers

February 21st, 2019 at 6:26pm CST by JD Shaw

As the Clippers prepare to make a final push for the playoffs, the team is expecting forwards Wilson Chandler (right quad strain) and Luc Mbah a Moute (sore left knee) to make their returns soon, according to Andrew Greif of the Los Angeles Times.

Both players are likely to practice in the near future, coach Doc Rivers said, with their eventual returns adding to an already deep Los Angeles team. Rivers did not give a specific timeline for either player.

“Being an eighth seed or seventh seed or sixth seed is not our goal in the long run,” Rivers said earlier this month, according to Greif. “We want to be champions.”

Several players have been linked to the Clippers in recent months, including the recently traded Kristaps Porzingis. Porzingis added the Clippers to a handful of preferred trade destinations before being moved out of New York, Marc Stein of The New York Times reported.

The team could pursue the likes of Kevin Durant, Kawhi Leonard and DeMarcus Cousins in free agency this summer, preaching a well-rounded, competitive roster that currently owns the eighth best record in the West at 32-27.

The Lakers need to do their best to pair LeBron James with a superstar free agent talent this summer, Tim Bontemps of ESPN writes. Players such as Durant, Leonard, Kyrie Irving and Klay Thompson will reach free agency on July 1, while Pelicans star Anthony Davis is expected to become available via trade.
The decision to trade DeMarcus Cousins back in 2017 has worked out perfectly for the Kings, Jason Anderson of the Sacramento Bee writes. Sacramento has one of the brightest young cores in the NBA behind De’Aaron Fox, Buddy Hield, Marvin Bagley lll and others, seamlessly transitioning to a new era despite trading their cornerstone piece.
The Lakers have several different free-agent talents to choose from in the coming weeks with their open roster spot, Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report writes. Los Angeles has been linked to Carmelo Anthony, who last played on November 8, ever since LeBron James publicly approved of the idea to add him. “I think it would be great to have Carmelo Anthony be on the Lakers,” James told ESPN’s Rachel Nichols in December. “I believe Melo can still play the game.”

Pat Riley Talks Heat, Retirement, LeBron James

February 19th, 2019 at 5:23pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Pat Riley has served as team president of the Heat since 1995. The 73-year-old executive brought Miami three titles—one while also serving as a coach—but remains hungry to oversee another championship team.

“Maybe that’s why I’m not going to retire. I ain’t going out this way until we win another title,” Riley said with a smile to ESPN’s Dan Le Batard (h/t Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel).

Riley added while he would love to have “one of those golden consulting jobs,” he wants to remain a hands-on participant in the franchise

“There’s a few guys around the league that have those jobs. But I say that in jest, because all the men who do that I’m sure they provide a good service. But I’m an active participant, and I want to stay that way,” Riley said.

Riley also touched upon LeBron James‘ tenure with the club and LBJ’s departure in 2014. The executive said he “saw a dynasty fly out the window” when James decided to return to Cleveland.

“I didn’t blame him [for leaving],” Riley said. “But I knew that was a 10-year team. It was just a sad day for me and for our franchise because I wanted that dynasty. I wanted this city and this team to go 10 years and maybe be in the Finals eight times.

“I don’t know how many championships we would have won. But I don’t have any rancor toward him at all.”

Western Notes: Giannis, Conley, Durant, LeBron

February 18th, 2019 at 8:59pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Giannis Antetokounmpo could be the next superstar prize on the Warriors’ radar screen. In a speculative piece, Marcus Thompson II of The Athletic dives into the possibility of Antetokounmpo joining Golden State when he becomes a free agent in 2021.

As Thompson outlines, pursuing Antetokounmpo would hinge on Kevin Durant departing and would also necessitate cutting ties with Draymond Green. That would give the Warriors enough cap room to sign Giannis and keep the backcourt of Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson together. The possibility of Antetokounmpo wanting to leave Milwaukee could increase if the Bucks experience postseason disappointment, Thompson adds.

We have more from around the Western Conference:

Mike Conley admits the trade rumors took a toll on him until the deadline passed, James Herbert of CBS Sports reports. The Grizzlies held on to Conley but longtime teammate Marc Gasol was dealt to Toronto. “It was emotional, man,” he said. “It was hard, ’cause part of me, obviously, is trying to lock in on my job and just worry about Oklahoma (City) and really, like, watch film and prepare. But I can’t help but, like, the other 90 percent of me is like I’m about to get traded or Marc’s about to get traded.”
Kevin Durant claimed his relationship with ex-Oklahoma City teammate Russell Westbrook was never as strained as it was portrayed in the media, Eric Horne of The Oklahoman relays. “I don’t think it was ever in a bad place,” Durant said. “I think a lot of you guys just got in the way and tried to make it something bigger than it was because you needed a story. I understand because that’s your job, but that’s not really your job. I understood what that was like now thinking back on it, because I never had a problem with nobody in this league, or to a point where I didn’t like anyone or hated someone. It wasn’t even that deep.”
The Lakers are privately a little concerned about LeBron James‘ health, according to Joe Vardon of The Athletic. They’re not quite sure he’s fully healed from the groin injury that cost him 18 games, as he’s not moving at the same speed, nor engaging at the point of attack, Vardon continues. However, James denies he’s aching. “I feel great,” he said. “Looking forward to the second half of the season. Looking forward to seeing what we can do to get back in this playoff race. That’s my only mindset.”

And-Ones: Iguodala, Gupta, Vesely, Williamson

February 18th, 2019 at 8:00pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Warriors swingman Andre Iguodala was elected First Vice President of the National Basketball Players Association, according to an NBPA press release. Iguodala has been on the Executive Committee since February 2013. He replaces LeBron James, whose four-year term has expired.

The Bucks‘ Malcolm Brogdon, the Celtics‘ Jaylen Brown and the Hornets‘ Bismack Biyombo were elected to serve as VPs on the Executive Committee. They replace Carmelo Anthony, Stephen Curry and Iguodala.

Chris Paul remains President of the committee with Anthony Tolliver, Pau Gasol, C.J. McCollum and Garrett Temple also serving on it.

We have more news from around the basketball world:

Pistons assistant GM Sachin Gupta never knew ESPN’s Trade Machine would become so popular when he created it in 2006, Rod Beard of the Detroit News reports. Gupta called it a “fun project” and took about a month to write the code for the Trade Machine when he worked for the network, Beard adds. “It’s not meant to replace common sense. It’s not meant to replace any GM’s job,” Gupta said. “It’s simply based on the rules and whether it works or not.”
Former NBA player Jan Vesely has signed an extension with Fenerbahce that keep him under contract until 2022, the Turkish team tweets. The 7-foot power forward was drafted by the Wizards with the sixth overall pick of the 2011 draft but only lasted three NBA seasons.
Stephen Curry is a fan of Duke’s Zion Williamson, considered the top prospect in this year’s draft, he said in an interview with The Undefeated and relayed by E. Jay Zarett of the Sporting News. “He’s unreal. We were talking about him the other day in our team room,” Curry said, via Justin Tinsley of the Undefeated. “He has a lot of hype around him and he’s unbelievably talented, but you can’t teach his passion and the way that … he plays. He plays hard every possession, and that’s an underrated skill that kids can kind of emulate.”

And-Ones: Keene, LeBron, Zion, Africa League, Tampering

February 17th, 2019 at 2:28pm CST by JD Shaw

The Memphis Hustle have bought out the contract of Marcus Keene, allowing Keene to sign overseas in South Korea with the Jeonju KCC Egis, a source told Hoops Rumors.

Keene traveled to South Korea on Sunday to join the team, a source said.

Keene, a former Central Michigan standout, averaged 8.2 points, 2.8 assists and 2.3 rebounds per game in 25 contests with the Hustle this season. He went undrafted in 2017 despite being the NCAA Division l scoring leader with Central Michigan, tallying an impressive 30 points per game.

The Jeonju KCC Egis play in the Korean Basketball League, which holds its regular season from October to April. It consists of 10 different teams that play 53 games each.

Here are some other odds and ends from around the basketball world:

LeBron James lauded the overall game of Duke prospect Zion Williamson, praising him for his insane athleticism and quickness at his size, as relayed by Dave McMenamin of ESPN.com. “What strikes me? His agility and his quickness,” James said. “For his size, how strong he is, to be able to move like the way he moves, he’s very impressive. I mean, everybody can see the athleticism. That’s obviously, that’s ridiculous. But the speed and the quickness that he moves [with] at that size is very impressive.” James traveled to see Williamson play against the University of Virginia last week, insisting to the media that the trip wasn’t for recruiting.
The NBA and FIBA have announced plans to bring a new professional basketball league to Africa. The Basketball Africa League, which is set to have 12 unnamed teams in the competition, is expected to begin play in January of 2020. “As we’ve been talking about this concept over the last several months, there’s been a tremendous reception from several of our NBA team owners,” NBA commissioner Adam Silver said. “Several of our partners have also expressed an interest to work with us in Africa.” Former President Barack Obama is also expected to have a hands-on role with the league, though the specifics of his job have yet to be determined. This will mark the first time the NBA has ever been involved with a professional basketball league outside of North America.
NBA tampering and agent behavior are two deeply intertwined problems today, Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer writes. The representative for Anthony Davis, Rich Paul of Klutch Sports, publicly announced that his client requested a trade from the Pelicans last month, causing a stir for some within the organization. Adam Silver has labeled the importance of tampering being held to a strict control, though Davis’ public trade request resulted in a tampering fine for Bucks co-owner Marc Lasry and prompted some observers to question whether the Lakers were tampering with Davis’ group.

LeBron James Addresses Retirement: “I Got A Lot More Game To Play”

February 16th, 2019 at 3:57pm CST by marksuleymanov

LeBron James‘ recent comments about potentially owning a team do not mean the Lakers superstar is thinking about retirement anytime soon, Josh Peter of USA Today writes.

At his 15th All-Star game, James told reporters during NBA All-Star media day in Charlotte on Saturday that he has a lot more basketball to play.

“I got a lot, a ton more years to play this game and suit up and be in a Lakers uniform,” James said. “…Hopefully I can sit up here and answer questions as a player for a long time.’”

In his first season with the Lakers, James is enjoying another stellar season, averaging 26.8 PPG, 8.6 RPG and 7.6 APG. However, the most serious injury of his career sidelined James for an extended stretch earlier in the season. His groin issue forced the Lakers to play for more than a month without their best player and as a result, the team fell out the current postseason picture.

The Lakers (28-29) are just three games back of the Clippers for the eighth seed in the Western Conference. A healthy James will be important as Los Angeles aims to return to the playoffs for the first time since the 2012/13 season.