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League Executives Expect Summer Trade For Anthony Davis

December 23rd, 2018 at 10:22am CST by Arthur Hill

Talking to NBA executives at this year’s G League Showcase, Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report finds that most expect Anthony Davis will be with the Lakers or Celtics next season.

Although Pelicans officials have repeatedly stated they have no intention to trade Davis, his contract situation may leave them with no choice. He is eligible for a supermax extension this summer that could be worth up to $239.5MM, but is only one season away from his player option if he doesn’t accept that offer.

Davis changed his representation over the summer, signing with LeBron James‘ agent, Rich Paul of Klutch Sports, in a move that some believe was made to get him out of New Orleans.

“I’m not worried about James tampering to the media about AD,” a Western Conference GM told Pincus. “It’s that James and Paul are mafioso mob bosses of the NBA that’s the problem.”

Several small-market GMs raised concerns about tampering this week after James said Davis would be “amazing” to have as a teammate. Commissioner Adam Silver refused to take any disciplinary action against James, and the Lakers’ star raised more speculation by having dinner with Davis after their teams played on Friday.

The executives that Pincus spoke to don’t believe Davis will be moved before the February 7 trade deadline, but they do expect something to happen by draft day. The feeling is that Davis will decline the Pelicans’ extension offer and force them to move him for a package that’s stocked with young talent and draft picks.

“It’s going to be up to [Pelicans general manager] Dell [Demps] to decide where Davis plays next,” an Eastern Conference executive said. “Paul will get him traded, but it’s going to be up to Demps to get the best deal.”

That could work to the advantage of the Celtics, who, depending on protections, may own the Clippers’, Grizzlies’ and Kings’ picks next summer as well as their own. Boston can’t trade for Davis until Kyrie Irving opts out of his current contract, so the Celtics would need to reach an agreement with New Orleans before the draft that wouldn’t take effect until the moratorium is lifted in early July.

Pincus speculates Marcus Smart and Jaylen Brown will be the cornerstones of Boston’s offer, although Gordon Hayward, Terry Rozier, Marcus Morris and Al Horford are all potential pieces. He sees Brandon Ingram and Lonzo Ball as the key players in a Lakers deal, along with a few others to match salaries.

A 15% trade kicker in Davis’ contract could give the Lakers the advantage in their pursuit, Pincus adds. The Pelicans would have to pay Davis an additional $5.4MM if he gets traded during the season or $4.1MM if the deal happens over the summer. If Paul wants to get Davis to the Lakers, he could agree to waive the trade kicker only if Davis is sent to L.A.

Pincus also notes that because the Lakers will be under the cap this summer, they will have the freedom to restructure Davis’ contract, giving him $32.7MM for next season and extending the deal through 2021/22 at a total of $70.3MM for the following two years. When Davis hits free agency in 2022 as a 10-year veteran, he would be eligible for a starting salary at about $46MM, giving him a total deal only about $16MM less than his supermax offer.

Woj: Lakers Keeping Young Players To Pursue Anthony Davis

December 15th, 2018 at 10:01pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Lakers refused to break up their young core to acquire Trevor Ariza from the Suns because they’re saving their assets for a run at Anthony Davis, NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski said today on ESPN (Hat tip to Real GM).

Davis will be eligible for a Designated Veteran Extension from the Pelicans next summer, which could pay him a record-setting $239.54MM over five seasons. However, if Davis decides not to accept that offer, he is guaranteed just one more season in New Orleans before his player option arrives in the summer of 2020.

The Lakers are among several teams preparing for that scenario, stockpiling as much young talent as they can to offer the Pelicans in a potential trade.

“Here’s the line they have to walk: they’re not going to give away picks and their top young players in some deal that makes them incrementally better this season,” Wojnarowski said, “because they have to save all those assets for Anthony Davis, a big trade this summer either pre or post free agency.”

L.A. has been careful about preserving cap room for next season to be able to make a max offer in a talented free agent class that will include Kevin Durant, Kawhi Leonard, Klay Thompson and several other stars. The pursuit of Davis won’t affect that plan, according to Wojnarowski.

“The absolute dream scenario, people talk about (how) they can trade for Anthony Davis or sign a free agent,” he said. “The dream scenario is they do both.”

ESPN’s Zach Lowe, who co-hosted the show with Wojnarowski, explained that the Lakers plan to take a shot at free agency first, then will try to swing a deal for Davis. If it works, that could produce a Big Three that would eclipse what LeBron James had in Miami or Cleveland.

Assuming none of them are traded away during the season, L.A. will have Lonzo Ball ($8.72MM for next year), Brandon Ingram ($7.27MM), Kyle Kuzma ($1.97MM) and Josh Hart ($1.93MM) available to offer in a potential deal for Davis.

Lakers Won’t Give Up Top Young Players For Ariza

December 12th, 2018 at 6:43pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Lakers have made four key young players unavailable in their pursuit of wing Trevor Ariza, Brad Turner of the Los Angeles Times tweets. The team will not include Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, Kyle Kuzma or Josh Hart in a potential trade, according to Turner. The Suns turned down a three-team proposal, Turner adds.

The Lakers’ keen interest in working out a deal with the Suns for Ariza, an unrestricted free agent after the season, surfaced in an ESPN report over the weekend. That report indicated Phoenix was seeking playmaking guard, presumably either Ball or Hart, and a draft asset.

Los Angeles has plenty of competition for Ariza as at least eight teams have reached out to Phoenix. Ariza can’t be traded until Saturday, when restrictions on trading players who signed free agent contracts this summer are lifted. Ariza inked a one-year, $15MM contract with the Suns after being a key member of the Rockets last season.

He is averaging 9.8 PPG, 5.5 RPG and 3.3 APG in 33.9 MPG this season for the floundering Suns.

Acquiring Ariza would not only help the Lakers in the short run, his expiring contract would also give them more flexibility in the summer when they pursue top-tier free agents.

Sources confirmed to Turner that the Rockets called about Kentavious Caldwell-Pope‘s availability two weeks ago but no trade is imminent. A report from The Athletic on Wednesday revealed the Rockets were trying to put together a multi-team trade to acquire the Lakers’ shooting guard, who has veto power over any deal.

Lakers Have Not Made Lonzo Ball Available In Trades

December 8th, 2018 at 10:52am CST by marksuleymanov

Despite recent speculation, the Lakers have not made point guard Lonzo Ball available in trades, a league source tells Ben Stinar of Amico Hoops. While this does not indicate that Ball is untouchable, the 21-year-old is currently not part of active trade talks, per the report.

After inking LeBron James this past summer, Los Angeles’ interest in finding another star has been made clear and Ball is one of the organization’s best trade chips. Names such as Anthony Davis, Kevin Durant and Kawhi Leonard have been floated as potential trade and free agent targets for the Lakers.

Los Angeles selected Ball with the second overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft. After a solid rookie campaign, Ball’s numbers have dipped this season but he’s still averaging a solid 8.2 PPG, 5.3 RPG and 4.6 APG. Ball has also been praised for his defensive improvements, with his newest teammate James has been at the forefront.

“I think he just sometimes doesn’t realize how great he is,” James said. ”The things that he possesses out on the floor … when Zo realizes how good he is on the floor, it makes him a very dynamic player and it makes us even better. And he’s been doing that as of late, his aggressiveness.”

Pacific Notes: Curry, Beal, Rondo, Kokoskov

November 26th, 2018 at 10:55pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Warriors point guard and two-time MVP Stephen Curry could be back in action this week, according to an NBA.com post. He will go through a full practice on Tuesday with the possibility of playing against the Raptors on Thursday, coach Steve Kerr told the media. Curry has missed 10 consecutive games with a left groin strain.

We have more news from around the Pacific Division:

Any potential Lakers trade for Wizards guard Bradley Beal would likely have Brandon Ingram as its centerpiece, according to Eric Pincus in a Bleacher Report column. Los Angeles probably wouldn’t agree to deal Ingram plus either Lonzo Ball, Kyle Kuzma or Josh Hart, Pincus opines. However, a package of Ingram, Rajon Rondo and Michael Beasley would add up to enough salary to absorb Beal’s hefty contract. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope couldn’t be substituted for Rondo unless he agreed to the deal, due to a quirk in rules regarding players who re-sign one-year contracts, Pincus adds.
The Lakers’ offense has suffered without Rondo, who is currently out with a broken hand, Joey Ramirez of the team’s website reports. The Lakers ranked fourth in scoring (116.9 ppg) and fifth in assists (26.0) before Rondo’s injury, but are 22nd in points (106.6) and 29th in assists (18.6) in the first five games without him. Rondo has been cleared for non-basketball activities but is still several weeks away from returning, Ramirez adds.
Suns first-year coach Igor Kokoskov believes his days as an assistant in Detroit were pivotal in his coaching career, as he explained to Chris McCosky of the Detroit News. He was a young coach with the Pistons when they reached the Eastern Conference Finals on a regular basis. “I had the privilege of being with Larry Brown for two years and Flip Saunders for three years,” Kokoskov told McCosky. “I was very fortunate to learn from those great coaches and those great players. Just being a part of that group, with those guys all in their prime, I had a chance to steal the best from those guys. I learned a lot. Especially when you are winning.”

LeBron On Lonzo: ‘He Doesn’t Realize How Great He Is’

November 24th, 2018 at 11:59am CST by marksuleymanov

When LeBron James joined the Lakers this summer, the dynamic between him and the team’s second-year point guard Lonzo Ball was one of the biggest questions. After the Lakers’ win over the Jazz on Friday, James spoke glowingly of Ball.

“I think he just sometimes doesn’t realize how great he is,” James said, per The Sporting News. “The things that he possesses out on the floor … when Zo realizes how good he is on the floor, it makes him a very dynamic player and it makes us even better. And he’s been doing that as of late, his aggressiveness.”

Ball, 21, has had an interesting start to the season as veteran point guard Rajon Rondo opened the year as the starter while the youngster recovered from surgery. In 18 games (16 starts) this season, Ball’s totals from last year are down. He’s averaging 8.2 PPG and 4.8 APG, but James feels that his impact on the team is not confined to his stats.

“He missed a couple of them, that’s absolutely fine. He had a couple charges, that’s absolutely fine,” James said. “When he’s aggressive it just changes our dynamic of the team, and he’s been doing it of late and we need him to continue to do that because he’s very good.”

With Rondo set to miss at least another month, Ball will have the chance to not only cement his role as the starter but prove James’ endorsement correct.

L.A. Notes: McGee, James, Scott, Teodosic

November 23rd, 2018 at 9:45pm CST by Dana Gauruder

JaVale McGee is grateful to LeBron James for lobbying the Lakers to sign him, Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press reports. The 30-year-old journeyman center is averaging a career-high 13.4 PPG, 6.6 RPG and 2.4 BPG after signing a one-year, $2.93MM contract over the summer. “He could have said get anybody,” McGee said. “It’s just a reassuring feeling, a confidence-builder I guess, knowing that you’re going into a situation wanted as an option, like you’re really wanted. That’s pretty dope.”

We have more on the Lakers and Clippers:

The Lakers haven’t proven whether they’re a quality team yet and they’ll need to give James more help than he required in Cleveland if they want to compete for championships, Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times opines. James is now in a tougher conference and while he might be able to drag the team into the playoffs, if would be easier if the players around him were more productive, Woike adds.
Forward Mike Scott has become a valuable piece on the Clippers’ second unit since signing a one-year, $4.3MM contract over the summer, Andrew Greif of the Los Angeles Times notes. Scott has taken 64.4% of his shots beyond the arc and made 48.9% of them with top reserves Lou Williams and Montrezl Harrell drawing most of the defensive attention.
Clippers coach Doc Rivers doubts guard Milos Teodosic will wind up in Europe this season, Greif writes in the same piece. Teodosic has expressed frustration over his lack of playing time and speculated he could leave the Clippers before the season’s end despite his $6.3MM contract. Rivers shrugged it off. “We want Milos to be happy, too,” Rivers said. “He’s a great guy and he’s great for this organization. Obviously he hasn’t played the minutes or the way he wants to, but we love him around here, so we’ll figure that all out.”
The Lakers are urging point guard Lonzo Ball to stay aggressive on a consistent basis, according to Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN.

L.A. Notes: Harris, Rivers, Ball, Walton

November 21st, 2018 at 5:04pm CST by Arthur Hill

Tobias Harris is one of the leaders of a surprising Clippers team that is near the top of the Western Conference, but he still isn’t immune to trade rumors. Harris checked with management after he heard his name floated as part of a package to acquire Jimmy Butler from the Timberwolves, writes Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports. It turned out that the Clippers were interested in Butler, but they envisioned using him and Harris together.

“It is hard, but you have to be honest and there’s times when you tell [players], ‘I can’t tell you.’ I tell guys that,” coach Doc Rivers said. “But with Tobias it was easy. I was pretty confident he wasn’t going anywhere. That one wasn’t that hard for us. We love Tobias. And we think he’s part of our future here.”

Harris, who has been with four teams in his eight NBA seasons, is headed for free agency next summer and can expect a significant raise from the $14.8MM he is making this year. Whether he stays in L.A. or not, he already has plenty of experience with the business side of basketball.

“It didn’t bother me. It was funny,” Harris said of the trade rumor. “At the end of the day, I’m so well-equipped and well-suited for whatever’s next that nothing will ever surprise me.”

There’s more today out of Los Angeles:

With cap room to offer at least one max contract, the Clippers are expected to be a major player in free agency and Rivers believes the organization has a unique selling point, relays Martin Rogers of USA Today. “Coming to the Clippers and turning them into a team that wins a title? It hasn’t been done,” Rivers said. “For a lot of these players, it is the chance to go to a franchise and ‘be the man,’ be the one that gets them to something [we’ve] never done in the history of the franchise.”
The Lakers have tried several options to run the second-unit offense with Rajon Rondo injured, and it appears that job may fall to Lonzo Ball, according to Kyle Goon of The Orange County Register. Ball played more minutes with the reserves in Sunday’s win in Miami and may get that role on a long-term basis.
Head coach Luke Walton has heard that his job is in jeopardy several times since taking over the Lakers, but he has a supporter in Heat coach Erik Spoelstra, who coached LeBron James under similar circumstances, Goon adds in a separate story. “If you look at his whole professional career, all of [it] he has been involved with are teams like this with great expectations, with a lot of pressure and a lot of noise,” Spoelstra said. “He doesn’t know any different. I don’t think you can find a better fit than to coach that team.”

Lakers Notes: Ball, McGee, Second Superstar

November 17th, 2018 at 10:06am CST by marksuleymanov

For a young Lakers team still in search of its identity, second-year point guard Lonzo Ball has seen his role vary. At times, Ball has played the prototypical point guard role, setting up his teammates. Other times, the UCLA product has been more of an off-the-ball player who has also displayed an improved long-range game.

As Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times writes, Ball is still getting adjusted to the current Lakers team, playing off LeBron James.

“Just trying to find my spots on the court,” Ball said. “LeBron is very good with the ball, playmaking. So when he brings it up, (I) just try to go to the wing and get open, cut, set screens … try to do different things.”

Here’s more on the Lakers:

In 14 games (12 starts) this season, Ball is averaging just 8.7 PPG and 4.8 APG — both down from his rookie season. However, he is shooting an improved .409% from the field and .381% from three-point range.

Through the early part of the season, Lakers center JaVale McGee is playing the best basketball of his career. He has not been a full-time starter since the 2011/12 season but his numbers across the board are career bests, Kyle Goon of the Orange County Register writes. Even while he’s scoring more points (14.1 PPG) than Al Horford and shooting better (63%) than DeAndre Jordan, McGee feels there’s room to improve. “I’m underachieving, personally,” McGee said. “People just look at me like, ‘Oh, he’s having a better season than he’s ever had.’ But no, I want more.”
Another impact player is off the board for a Lakers team in search of a second star alongside James, as Jimmy Butler was traded to the Sixers. Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report looks at the team’s remaining options for a co-star in Hollywood, with Butler, Kawhi Leonard and others having joined new teams or committed to old ones in recent months.
Lakers point guard Rajon Rondo underwent surgery on a broken hand this week and is expected to miss four to five weeks.

Pacific Notes: Warriors, Okobo, Cousins, Lakers

October 29th, 2018 at 11:01pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Warriors have been ordered to pay approximately $40MM for prior renovations at Oracle Arena, according to an Associated Press report. The dispute stemmed from renovations to the arena back in 1996. The government agency that manages the arena took out a $150MM bond for basketball renovations and the team agreed to help finance with annual payments. The Warriors argued their debt obligation should end when they terminate their lease and leave Oakland for San Francisco at the end of the season. An arbiter disagreed and ruled that the team must continue making payments through 2027.

We have more news from the Pacific Division:

Rookie Elie Okobo may have emerged as the Suns’ answer at point guard in a loss to the Thunder over the weekend, Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic writes. Okobo posted a team-high 18 points and eight assists after he replaced Isaiah Canaan, who suffered a left ankle injury early in the contest. “He played with confidence, he played with a presence. He played like, ‘I belong here,’” Suns coach Igor Kokoskov said.
Warriors center DeMarcus Cousins apologized to coach Steve Kerr for getting ejected from the bench during the team’s game against the Knicks on Friday, Nick Friedell of ESPN relays. Cousins, who is still rehabbing from his Achilles injury he suffered last season, got tossed for trash talking to Knicks center Enes Kanter. “That kind of stuff is not going to help us win a championship, it’s not going to help his reputation, and I think he understands that,” Kerr said. “And I think he immediately regretted what happened, so I really appreciated him coming to me and making that pretty clear, and I don’t expect it to happen again.”
The Lakers need to ride their young players — Lonzo Ball, Kyle Kuzma, Brandon Ingram and Josh Hart — to complement LeBron James and build a brighter future, Martin Rogers of USA Today argues. It’s important for that quartet to grow and develop chemistry with James, rather than playing veterans like Rajon Rondo and Michael Beasley, Rogers adds.