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NBA/China Notes: LeBron, Silver, Yao, Tencent

October 16th, 2019 at 9:16am CST by Luke Adams

After making some eyebrow-raising comments about Rockets GM Daryl Morey and the NBA/China controversy on Monday, LeBron James briefly addressed the subject again on Tuesday, telling reporters that he hopes tension between the two sides dies down. However, as Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN.com details, James made it clear that he doesn’t want to continue discussing the situation going forward, preferring to focus on the Lakers‘ quest for a championship.

“I’d be cheating my teammates by continuing to harp on something that won’t benefit us,” James said. “We’re trying to win a championship. That’s what we’re here for. We’re not politicians. It’s a huge political thing. But we are leaders and we can step up at times. I’m not saying at this particular time, but if you don’t feel like you should speak on things, you shouldn’t have to.”

James’ critical comments of Morey didn’t go over well in Hong Kong, where protestors chanted support for the Rockets’ GM on Tuesday, per an ESPN report. At that protest, LeBron jerseys were trampled and even burnt.

Here’s more on the ongoing NBA/China situation:

  • Commissioner Adam Silver never did meet with Chinese Basketball Association chairman Yao Ming while he was in China, but they were speaking at least 10 times per day, a person with knowledge of the situation tells Tania Ganguli of The Los Angeles Times.
  • Ganguli also writes that the NBA’s Chinese streaming partner Tencent, which suspended its broadcasts of preseason games in the wake of Morey’s tweet, resumed those broadcasts on Monday without explanation.
  • Dave McMenamin of ESPN shares an engaging deep dive into the Lakers‘ and Nets‘ meeting last week with Silver in Shanghai, providing details on how LeBron and Kyrie Irving spoke up during that session. Among McMenamin’s interesting tidbits: James, Anthony Davis, Kyle Kuzma, and Rajon Rondo all had promotional appearances in China canceled, with one unnamed Lakers player losing a $1MM endorsement deal with a Chinese company due to the controversy. Based on a separate report from Bill Oram of The Athletic, that player may have been Kuzma.
  • In a column on the China controversy, Sam Amick of The Athletic notes that Morey’s initial tweet supporting Hong Kong protestors was sparked by a specific development. Sources tell Amick that Morey’s message came in response to a new law enacted in Hong Kong banning face masks during public gatherings. The law is “widely seen as a tactic to identify dissidents,” Amick adds.
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Lakers Notes: Howard, McGee, PGs, Kuzma

October 3rd, 2019 at 11:58am CST by Luke Adams

When Dwight Howard signed with the Lakers in August, he pledged to come to camp with an adjusted mindset. After pushing for increased touches and a prominent role during his previous stops, Howard said he had been humbled by his recent struggles and would come to Los Angeles ready and willing to play whatever role was asked of him.

While it’s still early, it sounds like Howard has delivered on that promise so far. As Dave McMenamin of ESPN.com writes, head coach Frank Vogel praised the three-time Defensive Player of the Year this week as the Lakers went through their first few days of training camp.

“Dwight Howard has been all business since he came in this time around,” Vogel said. “We’re asking our whole group to have a seriousness about ourselves. He’s been an all-business type of guy. It’s really helped us to be focused and working on the task at hand.”

Howard is on a non-guaranteed contract, but the Lakers only have 14 players with guaranteed salaries, so the big man is the top candidate to slide into the club’s 15th and final roster spot to start the season.  Based on his performance so far in camp, there’s no reason to think that he won’t claim and hang onto that final roster spot.

“Dwight has it on his mind that he wants to help this team win,” teammate Anthony Davis said. “And whatever that entails, he’s going to do it.”

Here’s more on the Lakers:

  • Howard isn’t the only veteran Lakers center who has made a good impression so far in camp. According to McMenamin, Vogel also lauded the work of JaVale McGee, who re-signed with the club in July. “JaVale’s performing at a really high level,” the head coach said.
  • It’s not yet clear who will start at point guard for the Lakers, as Rajon Rondo and Avery Bradley offer different skill sets and both saw time with the first team early in camp, per Mike Trudell of Lakers.com. As Trudell notes, Bradley’s ability to play off the ball could make him a good fit next to LeBron James, though the team could turn to Rondo if it wants more play-making on the court.
  • Of course, Rondo and Bradley won’t be the only players competing for minutes at the point guard spot. Kyle Goon of The Orange County Register takes a closer look at Alex Caruso, who will be pushing for a regular rotation role after re-signing with the Lakers in the offseason.
  • Kyle Kuzma is still a year away from being able to sign a rookie scale extension, but he has inked another long-term deal that will secure him a nice payday. According to Nick DePaula of ESPN.com, Kuzma signed a five-year footwear and apparel endorsement contract with Puma which is expected to be worth north of $20MM.
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Pacific Notes: Ballmer, Ariza, Caruso, Howard

September 14th, 2019 at 2:33pm CST by JD Shaw

Clippers owner Steve Ballmer invested $100MM in the city of Inglewood, California this week, according to Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN.com.

The investment was created as part of the city’s new arena development agreement, with the Clippers labeling it as the largest funding commitment for community programs related to a sports or entertainment venue in California.

“We’re close to a residential neighborhood and we are being very mindful,” Ballmer told ESPN in July about building a potential arena in Inglewood. “Investing well into the community, being a good citizen of the community. No homes need to get moved but we need to be a good neighbor.”

Ballmer’s proposal for a new Clippers arena, according to Youngmisuk, would include a corporate headquarters, team training facility, sports medicine clinic and much more.

“I want it to be beautiful,” Ballmer said. “But I want it to be about basketball. I want it to be comfortable. But I want it to be about basketball.”

There’s more today out of the Pacific Division:

  • James Ham of NBC Sports Sacramento examines how Trevor Ariza could fit in a crowded Kings rotation this season. Ariza, a veteran 3-and-D forward, signed a two-year, $25MM deal to join the Kings in free agency this past summer.
  • Mike Trudell of Lakers.com discusses several Lakers-related items in his mailbag, including the possibility of Alex Caruso starting at point guard this season. Caruso was better than Rajon Rondo while playing alongside LeBron James last season, though head coach Frank Vogel also has the option of testing Quinn Cook at starting point guard in training camp.
  • Kevin Pelton of ESPN.com examines whether former All-Star Dwight Howard could help solve the Lakers‘ depth issues at the center position. Howard is expected to fill in the role that injured center DeMarcus Cousins was supposed to fill before tearing his ACL, likely playing back-up center behind JaVale McGee to start the season and controlling the team’s interior presence on defense.
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Lakers Notes: Davis, Wade, Howard, Rondo

September 8th, 2019 at 7:08pm CST by JD Shaw

Entering his first season with the Lakers and eighth season in the league, Anthony Davis is focused on expanding his game by improving a key part of the modern player’s arsenal: Three-point shooting.

The Lakers ranked 20th in three-point makes last season with 847, shooting 33.3% from deep on the campaign. Only the Suns managed to shoot at a worse clip, finishing at 32.9%.

“This summer I improved the most on my 3-ball. I wanted to be able to stretch the floor,” Davis said, according to Joey Ramirez of NBA.com.  “As a big, the game is definitely going that way now. … I for sure want to get that [percentage] in the high 30s. By me doing that I’ll be able to help the Lakers as much as possible … and hopefully win a championship.”

Davis, who made just three three-pointers in his first three NBA seasons, shot 48-of-145 (33%) from deep last season with New Orleans in 56 games.

Los Angeles struck a major trade to acquire Davis in June, sending away Lonzo Ball, Josh Hart, Brandon Ingram, the 2019 No. 4 pick, a 2021 first-round pick, the right to swap picks in 2023 and a first-round pick in 2024 for his services.

Here’s more on the Lakers:

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Pacific Notes: Leonard, George, Caruso, Kings

July 7th, 2019 at 9:35am CST by Arthur Hill

Kawhi Leonard and Paul George may have permanently altered the perception of the two teams in Los Angeles, writes Arash Markazi of The Los Angeles Times. At one time, Leonard and George were both considered to be future Lakers. They were two stars who grew up in the L.A. area and wanted to leave their smaller-market teams for the comforts of home. That’s where they wound up, but they’re both Clippers.

Markazi recounts the history of the two franchises and how unbalanced the rivalry has been since the Clippers moved west. The Lakers had the stars, the famous fans and the titles, with 33 playoff appearances, 16 trips to the Finals and 10 championships from 1976 to 2011. Over that same time, the Clippers had just three winning seasons and made the playoffs four times.

The “Lob City” years and the purchase of the team by Steve Ballmer helped changed the balance of power as the Lakers fell onto hard times. Now with George and Leonard together on one side of Staples Center and LeBron James and Anthony Davis roaming the other, there finally appears to be a real rivalry.

There’s more from the Pacific Division:

  • The Lakers will sign Alex Caruso with part of their $4.8MM room exception, tweets Bobby Marks of ESPN. A full day of signings on Saturday plus the Davis trade left the team a little more than $1MM below the salary cap, and Marks believes that money may be used to give second-round pick Talen Horton-Tucker a contract longer than two years. Dudley, Daniels and Rajon Rondo will all sign veteran’s minimum deals, Marks adds (Twitter link).
  • The Warriors had “significant interest” in Caruso before he opted to return to the Lakers, tweets Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.
  • The Lakers risk another “reality show” season with their flurry of signings in the wake of losing out on Leonard, observes Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports. L.A.’s front office was heavily criticized last summer for not surrounding James with more shooters, and although they improved in that area this year with Danny Green, Jared Dudley, Troy Daniels and Quinn Cook, only Green has proven to be a reliable two-way player. Goodwill is also concerned about the lack of young talent, with Kyle Kuzma left as the only prominent player with a chance to improve.
  • The Kings continue to move toward GM Vlade Divac‘s vision of a faster and deeper team with this year’s free agent signings, notes Jason Jones of The Athletic. Sacramento added veteran help for its young core by re-signing Harrison Barnes and adding Dewayne Dedmon, Trevor Ariza, Cory Joseph and Richaun Holmes.
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Lakers Re-Sign Rajon Rondo

July 6th, 2019 at 1:58pm CST by Luke Adams

JULY 8: The Lakers have officially re-signed Rondo, the team announced today in a press release.

JULY 6: After agreeing to terms on new deals for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and JaVale McGee, the Lakers have struck an agreement to bring back another one of their veteran free agents.

According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Ramona Shelburne (via Twitter), Los Angeles will re-sign point guard Rajon Rondo to a two-year deal. Tania Ganguli of The Los Angeles Times reports (via Twitter) that Rondo will earn the veteran’s minimum on his new contract.

Rondo, 33, is now on track to play for the same team for a second consecutive year for the first time since his days as a Celtic. Since being traded from Boston to Dallas during the 2014/15 season, Rondo has played for the Mavericks, Kings, Bulls, Pelicans, and Lakers.

In his first season as a Laker in 2018/19, the four-time All-Star’s impact was limited by an early-season suspension and then injury issues. He averaged 9.2 PPG, 8.0 APG, 5.3 RPG, and 1.2 SPG with a .405/.359/.639 shooting line in 46 games (29.8 MPG).

In sticking with the Lakers, Rondo will not only rejoin teammates from last season, such as LeBron James and Kyle Kuzma — he’ll also reunite with former Pelicans teammates Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins. All three players spent the 2017/18 season in New Orleans playing together.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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Lakers Notes: Rondo, A. Davis, McGee, Buss

June 8th, 2019 at 4:59pm CST by Arthur Hill

Rajon Rondo confirms to Ric Bucher of Bleacher Report that the Anthony Davis trade rumors just before the February deadline had a negative effect on the Lakers. Nearly all the team’s young players heard their names in rumored offers that were leaked to the press as L.A. tried to lock up Davis before the market becomes more competitive this summer.

There were numerous stories about how the Davis saga affected the mindset in the locker room, and the Lakers weren’t nearly as competitive after the deadline passed. Although he doesn’t name names, Rondo says a few veteran players were affected as well, but he denies being one of them.

“Me, I’m kind of numb to it,” he said. “I was in trade rumors every year in Boston. Eight straight years. You can’t really relate to it until you’ve gone through it. Not knowing the future, waking up every day — and now you’re on the phone reading stuff. When I was going through it, there wasn’t so much social media; it was just on TV. You’d hear it, or someone would text you about it, but it wasn’t so much in your face, with eight different blockbuster or proposed trades and your name in every one of them. Every Instagram scroll, you’re in it. So, psychologically, it probably took a toll. …

“Guys may have felt like, ‘Oh, I need to prove myself so I won’t be traded’ or ‘They’re going to trade me anyway.’ Each game you didn’t know what the mentality was for those guys: ‘Should I give my all to this organization that is about to trade me in two days?'”

There’s more Lakers news to pass along:

  • Rondo also believes the team splintered because it had six players on one-year contracts, including himself. After the Lakers were unable to find a second star to pair with LeBron James last summer, they rounded up veterans on short-term deals to preserve their future cap space. “If the organization doesn’t give a guy a multiyear deal, how much can that guy really invest in the team?” Rondo asked. “His thinking is: ‘You don’t really believe in me. You’re just trying to fill a void. I’m just a plug-in.’ You can say you’re playing for a contract; on mediocre teams, OK, but on championship-caliber teams, it doesn’t work that way. Guys aren’t willing to make sacrifices.”
  • JaVale McGee, another of those one-year veterans, is open to coming back to L.A. for another season, according to a tweet from the Fox show “Undisputed.” “I love L.A., it was beautiful for me,” he said. “I had my best averages, I had my best season playing alongside LeBron.”
  • Mavericks owner Mark Cuban defended Lakers owner Jeanie Buss this week, telling Dave McMenamin of ESPN that after her father’s death she had to balance family concerns with the pressures of running an organization.
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Lakers Notes: Free Agency, Rondo, Caruso, Howard

April 7th, 2019 at 2:31pm CST by JD Shaw

The Lakers could steal one of the Warriors’ three star free agents on the open market this summer, adding to a group that’s primarily been centered around LeBron James, Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report writes.

Golden State is currently fixated on making a lengthy playoff run this spring, but the futures of Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson and DeMarcus Cousins have quietly loomed over the franchise throughout the season. Thompson and Cousins are set to enter unrestricted free agency on July 1, while Durant holds a player option worth $31.5MM.

“I’ve never played fantasy basketball,” James told Bleacher Report’s Howard Beck last week. “But I will be as active as I need to be for this franchise to get better. That’s why I came here. I came here to win. And obviously, we need to get better, as far as our personnel. We have an opportunity to get better. And there’s a lot of talent out there, and a lot of guys that can help our franchise. So I’ll be as active as I need to be for us to get better and go from there.”

The buzz among various NBA executives, scouts and media members suggests that Durant is ready to leave Golden State, according to Pincus. Thompson could remain on the team if he’s offered a max deal, while both Cousins and the Warriors have already agreed that a return is unlikely (albeit not impossible).

The Lakers will look to be aggressive in free agency with an estimated $34MM in cap space. The team also has several young assets that can be included in a trade, should the club look to revive negotiations with New Orleans on star forward Anthony Davis. The idea of having arguably the two best basketball players on the planet could be an appealing factor for Durant if he considers joining the Lakers, as he’s already known to be close friends with James.

There’s more today out of Los Angeles:

  • Rajon Rondo has built equity in the Lakers’ locker room ahead of his upcoming free agency, Kyle Goon of the Orange County Register writes. Rondo, who has already stated his intentions of wanting to return next season, has helped the team’s younger players in the locker room and during games as a veteran leader this year. “He’s been a bright spot as far as what we’re building and what we’re trying to do,” coach Luke Walton said. “One of our top priorities with a lot of young guys was to continue to grow them as quickly as possible. And his leadership and the way his teammates look at him and toward him has been great.”
  • Bryan Kalbrosky of HoopsHype explains why Alex Caruso deserves to be brought back by the Lakers next season. Caruso, 25, provided a spark off the bench against the Clippers on Friday, adding 32 points, 10 rebounds and 5 assists in 38 well-rounded minutes.
  • Juwan Howard has been mentioned as a possible candidate for the Lakers’ head coaching job if Luke Walton is dismissed, as Andy Kamenetzky writes for The Athletic. Howard has maintained a strong relationship with LeBron James and Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka, with the former NBA player spending his past six seasons as an assistant coach in Miami.
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Rajon Rondo Wants To Return To Lakers Next Season

March 30th, 2019 at 1:23pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Rajon Rondo signed a one-year deal with the Lakers last summer just days after LeBron James announced he would be joining the team. The long-time Celtics point guard wants at least one more season playing alongside LBJ in yellow and gold.

“Absolutely,” Rondo said of his desire to come back to the Lakers next season (via Dave McMenamin of ESPN.com). “Absolutely. I mean, the only way we can go from here is up.

“So, I don’t know what the future holds as far as the summer — if I come back, or who else comes back or if I don’t come back. Those things are out of my control. But at the same time, it’s a great organization. I can’t say enough about the staff and the people who work here. They’re really kind and helpful, so I want to continue, if I can, help this organization grow.”

Rondo is making $9MM for his one season in Los Angeles. He said there were discussions last summer about signing a multi-year deal, though those talks never materialized. The point guard suggested that he may look to sign a contract longer than one season this time around.

“As far as long term, maybe not like a six-year deal, but you know, I’m only 33,” said Rondo, who missed 34 games so far this season because of a pair of hand injuries and a three-game suspension for his part in a mini-brawl with the Rockets during the Lakers’ home opener. He chalks those things up to being “just part of the game.”

James admires Rondo’s game and if his comments are any indication, Los Angeles will attempt to bring the 33-year-old back.

“The youth look up to us, look at us as superheroes at times, so to be able to have that fun and that joy we hope it goes back to those guys and to the kids that look up to us,” James said of Rondo’s approach to the game. “Rondo, his energy and him just having fun and being the leader that he is [is invaluable].”

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Lakers Rumors: Zubac, LeBron, Butler, PG13, Randle

March 29th, 2019 at 2:35pm CST by Luke Adams

The Lakers‘ decision to trade Ivica Zubac to the Clippers in a deal for Mike Muscala was one of the more questionable deadline moves last month. To make matter worse, Dave McMenamin of ESPN.com writes that the Lakers actually instigated those trade discussions.

Sources tell McMenamin that the Clippers never inquired on Zubac, and that it was the Lakers who made the offer, which the Clips “gladly accepted.” Veteran Clippers executive Jerry West “couldn’t believe how Zubac fell into his lap,” McMenamin writes.

The Lakers had hoped the roster spot they opened up in that swap – which also included Michael Beasley – would clear the way for the team to sign a player like Wayne Ellington, DeAndre Jordan, or Enes Kanter on the buyout market, per McMenamin. However, those players either chose other teams or never became available.

McMenamin’s latest article for ESPN digs into the Lakers’ disappointing season in detail, and includes several more noteworthy tidbits. Here are the highlights from the piece:

  • One team source tells McMenamin that they felt as if LeBron James didn’t fully engage with his younger teammates prior to the trade deadline.
  • Rajon Rondo organized a players-only meeting about a month ago in the hopes that the team would find “a better understanding of one another,” a source tells McMenamin. Players spoke up about LeBron’s “inconsistent body language,” and James took the criticism to heart, making an effort to improve on that going forward. Of course, the meeting hasn’t led to improved on-court results. “Just because [the meeting] was positive doesn’t mean we’re going to win 25 games in a row,” a team source told McMenamin.
  • Anthony Davis‘ name didn’t come up last summer when James met with Magic Johnson on the eve of free agency and discussed future plans. However, it has been clear all year that the Lakers intend to pair LeBron with a second maximum-salary free agent. L.A. was one of several teams to inquire on Jimmy Butler before he was sent to Philadelphia last fall, McMenamin reports.
  • Paul George‘s decision to stay in Oklahoma City last offseason was more about what the Thunder did right than what the Lakers did wrong, sources tell McMenamin. Still, it’s worth noting that George was somewhat familiar with how the Lakers ran things, having spoken to his agent Aaron Mintz and former teammate Corey Brewer about their experiences with the organization.
  • Mintz represents Julius Randle, who never received an offer from the Lakers as a restricted free agency last July, per McMenamin. Randle ultimately signed with the Pelicans because he felt like they really wanted him, which wasn’t a feeling he got from the Lakers, despite the fact that head coach Luke Walton and his staff hoped he’d be back, McMenamin writes.
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