Trade Rumors: Morant, Lakers, Pelicans, Mathurin, Kuminga
Although Ja Morant‘s time with the Grizzlies has been on a downward trajectory for a few years, tensions reached a boiling point at the end of October, when Morant received a team-issued one-game suspension, writes Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints.
Head coach Tuomas Iisalo reportedly challenged Morant’s “leadership and effort” following a loss to the Lakers in which the point guard was noticeably disengaged throughout the second half. Morant responded to Iisalo in a “tone deemed inappropriate.”
According to Siegel’s sources, the event led to a schism in Memphis’ locker room, with some players agreeing with Morant and some siding with the coaching staff. He never formally requested a trade, but the 26-year-old made it clear he couldn’t see a path forward with the Grizzlies in the wake of the suspension, Siegel adds.
The Heat hold a level of interest in Morant, Siegel confirms. The Kings are also hanging on the periphery of the situation, though they’d only be interested in acquiring Morant if the asking price was low enough — Sacramento is unwilling to part with draft assets in any talks for the two-time All-Star, sources tell Siegel.
Here are a few more rumors and notes from around the NBA:
- The Lakers are exploring the possibility of trading their 2032 first-round pick for two or three lesser-value first-rounders, according to Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sports (Twitter video link), who points out that Phoenix made a similar move last year in a deal with Utah. Jarred Vanderbilt and Gabe Vincent have both been made available as Los Angeles continues to search for a wing upgrade, O’Connor adds.
- The Pelicans are among the teams with interest in Pacers wing Bennedict Mathurin, league sources tell Siegel (Twitter video link). Indiana has checked in with New Orleans about second-year center Yves Missi, and Siegel wonders if the two clubs could potentially make a deal centered around those two players.
- Head coach Steve Kerr said Jonathan Kuminga‘s trade demand won’t cause any problems for the Warriors prior to Thursday’s game vs. New York, as Dalton Johnson of NBC Sports Bay Area relays. “It won’t be a distraction,” Kerr said. “Jonathan’s a great young guy. His teammates like him. He’s handling himself well. There won’t be a distraction.” Kerr said he spoke to Kuminga earlier in the day. “There’s not a whole lot I can say about the other stuff,” Kerr said. “It is what it is. Difficult situation for everybody. Part of this league, part of this job. We just keep moving forward. But it’s a tough situation and I don’t really have much to add.”
Warriors’ Jonathan Kuminga Demands Trade
Newly eligible to be dealt as of today, Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga has demanded a trade out of Golden State, according to Anthony Slater and Shams Charania of ESPN.
Kuminga’s trade demand is something of a formality, since his desire for a change of scenery has been a poorly-kept secret for months.
The former No. 7 overall pick discussed potential deals with teams like Sacramento and Phoenix as a restricted free agent during the offseason, but those suitors didn’t have the ability to sign him outright to an offer sheet out of the Warriors’ price range and didn’t make a sign-and-trade offer compelling enough for Golden State to move him.
As a result, Kuminga ended up returning to the Warriors on a two-year, $46.8MM contract that features a team option for 2026/27. After opening the season in the starting lineup, he was moved to the second unit in November and eventually fell out of the rotation altogether. The fifth-year forward hasn’t seen any action since December 18.
The relationship between Kuminga and the Warriors has deteriorated to the point that virtually every party involved in the situation agrees a trade would be the best outcome, per Slater and Charania. Even team owner Joe Lacob, who has long been one of Kuminga’s top boosters in the organization, is “down” on the 23-year-old at this point, team sources tell Marcus Thompson II, Sam Amick, and Nick Friedell of The Athletic.
Still, Kuminga’s value has declined considerably in recent years and has fallen further during the first half of this season due to his DNP-CDs, so it will be difficult for the Warriors to get the kind of return they want. For instance, the Kings, who were offering Malik Monk and a 2030 first-round pick (top-12 protected) during the summer, remain interested in the forward but are no longer willing to include a first-rounder in their offer, according to The Athletic.
With Kuminga’s value at a low point, Warriors sources have insisted that the team would be comfortable keeping him on the roster beyond the trade deadline and revisiting the situation over the summer, according to both ESPN and The Athletic. While Golden State says it won’t make a deal unless it gets real value in return, per The Athletic, Slater and Charania say rival executives are skeptical of the Warriors’ posturing and believe Kuminga will be on the move before the February 5 trade deadline.
Phoenix is reportedly no longer interested in Kuminga, but there are other possible suitors in play. The Mavericks have also shown interest, Slater and Charania confirm, though one recent report suggested Dallas was only eyeing Kuminga as part of a potential deal involving Anthony Davis. It’s unclear if the Mavs would pursue Kuminga separately or if they just viewed him as an appealing piece within a larger return.
League and team sources confirm to The Athletic that the Lakers have some level in interest in Kuminga, though it doesn’t sound as if the two teams have engaged in any real talks about him to this point.
The Warriors have been cited as a potential suitor for Nets forward Michael Porter Jr., but a team source tells The Athletic that there haven’t been substantial discussions between those two teams. Slater and Charania, meanwhile, cite league sources who say the Warriors haven’t talked to Brooklyn in over a month and have “never shown real interest” in making a move for Porter.
Golden State has been frequently linked to Pelicans wing Trey Murphy III, but there has never been any indication New Orleans wants Kuminga, and Joe Dumars‘ front office has been rebuffing inquiries on Murphy, ESPN confirms.
Here are a few more Kuminga-related items of interest:
- League sources tell Slater and Charania that the Warriors are prioritizing expiring salaries in a Kuminga deal and aren’t looking to take on multiyear contracts unless they view those contracts as “no-brainer positive value.” That’s why Golden State was never all that interested in a deal involving Monk, though sources tell ESPN that Kings guard Keon Ellis is a player who would intrigue the Warriors as a “potential sweetener.”
- For the right star, the Warriors would be open to moving multiple first-round picks, per Slater and Charania. Team sources tell ESPN that Golden State is more willing to part with its 2026 first-rounder than with picks in 2028 and beyond.
- It looked like Kuminga would get a chance to return to the Warriors’ rotation on January 2 with several regulars sidelined for health reasons, but he was a late scratch due to lower back soreness. According to Thompson, Amick, and Friedell, that turn of events created some frustration within the organization, with multiple team sources telling The Athletic they suspect Kuminga wasn’t actually injured. “I wouldn’t have played either,” one Warriors player said. “It’s clear the coach doesn’t believe in him.”
- Speaking of that coach, Steve Kerr was among the members within the organization who was in favor of drafting Franz Wagner with the seventh pick in the 2021 draft, team sources confirm to The Athletic. Wagner ended up being picked eighth overall by Orlando after the Warriors took Kuminga due to their desire to add “athleticism and potential star power” to the roster.
Eleven More Players Become Trade-Eligible
Today is Thursday, January 15, which means that a total of 11 players who signed free agent contracts meeting specific criteria this past offseason are now eligible to be traded.
Most offseason signees became trade-eligible on December 15, but players who met the following criteria were ineligible to be moved for an extra month:
- The player re-signed with his previous team.
- He got a raise of at least 20%.
- His salary is above the minimum.
- His team was over the cap and used Bird or Early Bird rights to sign him.
These are the 11 players who met that criteria and are eligible to be traded as of Thursday:
Santi Aldama (Grizzlies)- Josh Giddey (Bulls)
- Quentin Grimes (Sixers)
- Isaiah Jackson (Pacers)
- Jonathan Kuminga (Warriors)
- Tre Mann (Hornets)
- Sam Merrill (Cavaliers)
- Davion Mitchell (Heat)
- Paul Reed (Pistons)
- Naz Reid (Timberwolves)
- Ryan Rollins (Bucks)
Most of the players on standard 15-man rosters around the NBA are now eligible to be moved, though a small handful still can’t be dealt.
That group includes Kings guard Russell Westbrook, who becomes trade-eligible on Friday, Hawks guard Keaton Wallace (trade-eligible on January 18), Pelicans center DeAndre Jordan (Jan. 23), Knicks forward Mikal Bridges (Feb. 1), Lakers guard Luka Doncic (Feb. 2), Kings forward Precious Achiuwa (Feb. 4), and Spurs guard De’Aaron Fox (Feb. 4).
Additionally, there are several players who won’t become trade-eligible at all prior to this season’s February 6 deadline, including reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Players on 10-day contracts are also ineligible to be traded.
LeBron James Distances Himself From Rich Paul’s Podcast Comments
After LeBron James‘ longtime agent Rich Paul raised eyebrows earlier this week by advocating for a trade involving Austin Reaves, James made it clear on Tuesday that any Lakers-related opinions Paul shares on his podcast aren’t being run by LeBron — and aren’t necessarily opinions that the four-time MVP endorses.
“I think you all know by now, Rich is his own man and what Rich says is not a direct reflection of me and how I feel,” James told ESPN’s Dave McMenamin. “And I hope people know that. I hope people know that and if they’re not sensible to know that, then I don’t know what to tell them.”
As McMenamin details, during the most recent episode of the ‘Game Over with Max Kellerman and Rich Paul‘ podcast, the veteran player agent identified Grizzlies big man Jaren Jackson Jr. as an ideal trade target for the Lakers, suggesting L.A. should be willing to give up Reaves and a future first-round pick to land the former Defensive Player of the Year.
“If you’re building around Luka (Doncic) going forward, which they are, you need that anchor,” Paul said on the podcast. “And Jaren doesn’t want to be a part of a rebuild.
“This comes with a very unemotional attachment because Austin is beloved, which he should be, he’s an underdog. There’s a world where you can do what’s best for your team, and do what’s best for Austin. Because Austin deserves to get paid. Now, I love him as a Laker, but if that was a situation where we’re getting balance — because if you put all the money into just the backcourt and then your flexibility is restricted going forward to fill out the rest of the team, then (building a full roster is challenging). Memphis would definitely pay Austin.”
Paul launched the Game Over podcast alongside Kellerman last month and has already made headlines multiple times based on his comments about the Lakers. In a December episode, the Klutch Sports CEO suggested that the Lakers – as currently comprised – aren’t legitimate title contenders. L.A. was off to a 17-6 start at that point.
“Rich, that’s what he’s doing,” James told McMenamin. “That’s his whole thing. That’s what he’s doing. That’s what he’s talking about, but I have zero conversations about what his topics are going to be or what they are going to talk about. He is his own man and that is his platform.”
Reaves will be eligible for unrestricted free agency during the 2026 offseason — he holds a $14.9MM player option for 2026/27 but is considered a virtual lock to opt out, since he has made a strong case for a long-term deal and a starting salary far exceeding $14.9MM. The 27-year-old, who is currently sidelined due to a grade 2 left gastrocnemius strain, averaged 26.6 points, 6.3 assists, and 5.2 rebounds per game in his first 23 outings this season, with a .507/.365/.873 shooting line.
As good as he has been, there have been some observers who are skeptical about the Lakers building their post-LeBron roster around two offense-first guards in Doncic and Reaves — it sounds like Paul is among them.
According to McMenamin, Reggie Berry of AMR Agency, one of Reaves’ representatives, approached Paul during Tuesday’s game vs. the Hawks and talked to him for about five minutes. While sources tell ESPN that the two men discussed Paul’s podcast comments about Reaves, James insists it’s a non-issue between him and his Lakers teammate.
“AR knows how I feel about him,” James said to McMenamin. “All you got to do is look at us on the bench. Me and AR talk every single day. So, AR knows how I feel about him and I hope AR – or his camp – don’t look at me and think this is words from me are coming through Rich. Rich has his perspective of what he sees, I have my perspective. I’m a grown man, he’s a grown man and I think people should realize that grown men can say whatever the f–k they want to say and it shouldn’t reflect somebody else is saying it.”
Jackson, meanwhile, admitted on Wednesday that he also heard Paul’s podcast remarks, but the Grizzlies big man laughed them off, per Joe Vardon of The Athletic.
“There’s just a lot of podcasts,” Jackson said. “At first I didn’t think it was real. You have to figure out if its real usually now, and I’m not as versed technology wise as these people younger than me. I was figuring out of it’s AI, deep-fake, all that stuff. That’s all I had, I didn’t really have much of a reaction.”
Pacific Notes: Booker, Brooks, Hayes, Miller
Suns guard Devin Booker isn’t getting any love from the fans in terms of All-Star voting. The latest returns have Booker ranked 17th among vote-getters in the Western Conference.
Booker isn’t particularly surprised, even though he’s having a strong season. He’s averaging 25.3 points and 6.4 assists per game.
“There are some super big market teams,” he told Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic. “There are guys from different countries that have a whole country behind them. I kind of understand the process, but am I playing better than a lot of guys? For sure, but that’s not the setup.”
Teammate Grayson Allen feels Booker is being slighted by the voting public.
“He is the engine for our team,” Allen said. “Everyone knows he can score the ball, but this year, his play-making has been great. Assists, hockey assists, everything, he is the head of the snake for our team. We’ve surprised a lot of people this year and being the best player on this team, we’re not successful without him. Maybe the team success will help him out. I don’t know. I feel like he’s done enough individually to make it every year.”
Booker has made the All-Star team four times in his career.
Here’s more from the Pacific Division:
- Suns wing Dillon Brooks is two technical fouls away from a league-imposed one game suspension. Brooks picked up his 14th technical foul against Miami on Tuesday. Brooks’ latest infraction came when he shoved Heat forward Norman Powell (YouTube video link). An automatic suspension is issued when a player reaches 16 technicals and he receives an additional suspension for every two technicals he receives after reaching that threshold. No other NBA player has more than nine techs at this point.
- Jaxson Hayes underwent an MRI on his left hamstring on Tuesday, according to Lakers coach JJ Redick. Hayes told ESPN’s Dave McMenamin (Twitter link) on his way into the arena that he has experienced tightness in the hamstring for more than a week. Hayes, who played 19 minutes against Sacramento on Monday, hopes to be back in the lineup as soon as next game if the MRI comes back clean.
- Clippers two-way player Jordan Miller is doing his best to earn a standard contract. His minutes have spiked in the last five games and he’s averaged 11.8 points and 3.4 rebounds per game during that stretch, including a 21-point outing against Brooklyn and a 14-point performance against Charlotte. “I know what I’m capable of,” Miller told Janis Carr of the Orange County Register. “I played Summer League twice, got first-team honors, so it’s just like going out there and showing everybody like, ‘I belong here now.’ That’s really the theme of the year this year. It’s just like, show everybody you belong.”
Lakers Sign Kobe Bufkin To 10-Day Contract
5:33pm: The signing is official, accordinig to a team press release.
1:29pm: The Lakers have agreed to a 10-day deal with guard Kobe Bufkin, reports Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).
The 15th overall pick in the 2023 NBA draft, Bufkin spent his first two professional seasons with the Hawks before being traded to the Nets this offseason. He was subsequently waived by Brooklyn before the 2025/26 regular season tipped off.
Bufkin battled injuries during his first two NBA seasons in Atlanta and made just 27 total appearances for the Hawks. He missed a significant chunk of his rookie year due to a fractured left thumb and a sprained toe, then underwent season-ending shoulder surgery in December 2024, less than two months into his second year.
Bufkin has been healthier so far this season though, making 14 appearances for the South Bay Lakers, Los Angeles’ G League affiliate. The 6’4″ guard has put up big numbers at the NBAGL level, averaging 26.7 points, 4.9 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 1.3 steals, and 1.3 blocks in 34.5 minutes per game, with an elite shooting line of .519/.409/.902.
Bufkin’s strong play in the G League earned him a 10-day contract from the Grizzlies in November, but he didn’t end up seeing any action in any of his five games with the team.
The 22-year-old’s 10-day contract will pay him $131,970, while the Lakers carry an identical cap hit. Los Angeles is right up against its first-apron hard cap and can’t currently sign a free agent to a rest-of-season contract.
Based on their cap situation, the Lakers were projected to be able to fit a rest-of-season signing under that hard cap as of January 18, but Bufkin’s 10-day deal will push that date back to Jan. 28.
Assuming the Lakers finalize their deal with Bufkin today, he’ll get an opportunity to suit up against his former team on his first day on the job — L.A. is hosting the Hawks on Tuesday night.
Pacific Notes: Hachimura, Luka, Harden, Suns, Warriors
Although he was available on Monday, Lakers forward Rui Hachimura sat out for a seventh straight game after head coach JJ Redick learned that Hachimura would be available for just one game in the team’s back-to-back set. As Dave McMenamin of ESPN writes, Redick decided to save the forward for Tuesday’s game against Atlanta.
The Lakers lost without Hachimura on Monday, falling to a Sacramento team that made 17-of-26 three-point tries. Luka Doncic racked up 42 points vs. the Kings, but was battling a groin issue that required treatment throughout the night, notes McMenamin.
“I was really uncertain (about playing),” Doncic admitted after the game. “Before the game, like warming up, I felt something. So we were just trying to get warm and get going.”
While Hachimura will make his return on Tuesday, it’s unclear whether Doncic (left groin soreness) or LeBron James (left foot joint arthritis and right sciatica) will play. They’re both listed as questionable, per Marc Stein (Twitter link), and could join Jaxson Hayes (left hamstring soreness) and Austin Reaves (left calf strain) on the sidelines.
“Obviously we’re dealing with a lot of injuries right now,” James said on Monday, according to McMenamin. “Not only guys that are not in uniform, but even guys that are in uniform. So, we’re just trying to weather the storm.”
We have more from around the Pacific:
- Clippers guard James Harden become the NBA’s ninth all-time leading scorer on Monday, passing Shaquille O’Neal‘s career total of 28,596 points. “Shaquille O’Neal, somebody that I literally grew up watching here in L.A.,” Harden said, per The Associated Press. “Him and Kobe (Bryant) doing their thing, winning multiple championships, the most dominant big man in the history of the game. It’s a true honor, it’s a testament to the work that I put in.”
- Asked if injured guards Jalen Green (right hamstring strain) and Jamaree Bouyea (concussion protocol) will be available at some point during the six-game road trip that begins on Tuesday, Suns head coach Jordan Ott replied, “That’s the plan” (Twitter link via Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic). Green has been out since November 8, while Bouyea has missed Phoenix’s past four games.
- Spencer Davies of R.org profiles second-year Suns big man Oso Ighodaro, who has earned praise from Ott for his versatility and his ability to be a “connector” in a variety of lineups. Phoenix has a +7.5 net rating during Ighodaro’s time on the court this season, compared to a -1.2 mark when he sits. “I think last year, when it was spot minutes, I was just giving everything I got,” Ighodaro said. “And now, (I’m) playing a little bit longer stretches, trying to maintain that same level of play just for my entire stretch I’m in the game. I’m definitely being asked to do a little bit more this year, so I’m trying to do all that while maintaining all the effort and intensity.”
- In the wake of Sunday’s loss to Atlanta, Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area refers to the Warriors‘ roster as “profoundly defective” due to the team’s lack of length and athleticism, while Dalton Johnson of NBC Sports Bay Area questions whether head coach Steve Kerr should remain committed to a starting lineup featuring Moses Moody and Quinten Post alongside Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler, and Draymond Green. That five-man unit has started 13 of the Warriors’ past 14 games but has a net rating of -3.3 on the season.
Trade Notes: Cavs, Nets, MPJ, Grizzlies, More
The Cavaliers acquired forward De’Andre Hunter in their only in-season trade in 2024/25, but Hunter’s disappointing performance so far in ’25/26 may necessitate another in-season move a year later, writes Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (subscription required).
Sources tell Fedor that the Cavaliers haven’t engaged in any meaningful trade talks with teams inquiring on their players so far, including one club that made an offer for Hunter. Cleveland still believes in its current group despite an underwhelming 22-19 first half and wants to see what it looks like at full strength, if possible, Fedor adds.
However, with Max Strus expected to remain sidelined for at least a few more weeks, Dean Wade dealing with a nagging knee issue – he recently underwent a precautionary MRI that came back clean, per Fedor – and Hunter struggling to make an impact, it wouldn’t be a surprise if the Cavs explore their options on the trade market before the deadline.
After Hunter scored a season-low two points and committed three turnovers in 18 minutes of action in Monday’s home loss to Utah, head coach Kenny Atkinson acknowledged the forward’s struggles while expressing a belief that he can still turn things around.
“It’s not clicking. I think it’s a prolonged batting slump. It happens in every sport,” Atkinson said. “Trying to support him. Trying to get him some touches. Part of my job is to help him. He’ll snap out of it. He’s too good of a player to be playing like this. He’ll turn it around. We need him.”
Here are a few more trade-related notes and rumors from around the NBA:
- Noting that Nets general manager Sean Marks typically exercises patience on the trade market and doesn’t settle for deals that fall shy of his asking price, Brian Lewis of The New York Post (subscription required) writes that there’s a real chance Michael Porter Jr. remains with the team through the trade deadline. One assistant GM told Lewis that he wouldn’t be surprised if Brooklyn hangs onto Porter and then sits him frequently after the trade deadline in an effort to tank for a high draft pick.
- Kelly Iko of Yahoo Sports and Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sports both check in on the Ja Morant situation, with Iko explaining why the Grizzlies appear prepared to move forward without the star point guard and O’Connor presenting some hypothetical trade scenarios involving the 26-year-old. Echoing recent reporting from ESPN, Iko says executives around the NBA are wondering if Memphis will also become open to dealing Jaren Jackson Jr., though the Grizzlies have insisted for now that’s not an option they’re considering.
- Dan Woike of The Athletic suggests six trade ideas for the Lakers, including potential deals that send Andrew Wiggins, Herbert Jones, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, or Justin Champagnie to Los Angeles. However, he also plays devil’s advocate by outlining reasons why his suggestions might not work, such as the Pelicans’ lack of interest in moving Jones and the Lakers’ reluctance to take on multiyear salary for a player like KCP.
- Sam Vecenie of The Athletic lays out a few trades he’d like to see happen, including one sending Bulls guard Coby White into the Pistons‘ trade exception for draft assets, a three-team deal sending Michael Porter Jr. to the Warriors and Jonathan Kuminga to the Kings, and a Daniel Gafford/Bennedict Mathurin swap between the Pacers and Mavericks.
Kings, Bulls, Lakers Interested In Jonathan Kuminga
While it’s widely expected that Jonathan Kuminga will be on the move by the February 5 deadline, the Warriors don’t feel any urgency to deal him when he becomes trade-eligible on January 15, according to Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link).
As Fischer writes, the market for Kuminga has shrunk since he was a restricted free agent over the summer, and it doesn’t help matters that he couldn’t crack Golden State’s rotation even before he reportedly started being held out due to trade talks. Fischer points to the Suns as a team that was interested in Kuminga over the offseason but has since moved on.
While the Mavericks reportedly initiated trade talks with the Warriors and expressed some interest in Kuminga, those conversations were centered around Anthony Davis. With the star big man injured and thus not expected to be moved, Dallas seems unlikely to circle back to Kuminga now, Fischer explains.
According to Fischer, the Wizards were once viewed as a possible landing spot for the former No. 7 overall pick, but that was when they still had Corey Kispert on the roster, a player the Warriors have liked for years. Kispert was traded to Atlanta in the Trae Young deal.
Confirming recent reporting from ESPN and The Athletic, Fischer hears the Kings remain high on Kuminga and “would welcome” the opportunity to acquire him prior to Feb. 5, but they know a two-team deal is unlikely and that may be true of multi-team constructs as well if general manager Scott Perry maintains his stance of being unwilling to include a first-round pick.
The Bulls are another team that has expressed previous interest in Kuminga, Fischer writes, and a source tells Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times that they’re still evaluating whether to make a run at him. Cowley hears there has been increased recent chatter about Coby White being on the market, and Fischer refers to the impending free agent as being “oft-discussed,” though the Warriors don’t appear to have interest in the 25-year-old guard.
Cowley also confirms the Bulls have long been intrigued by Zion Williamson, but he may not be available.
Lastly, while the Lakers are known to be looking for a three-and-D wing and Kuminga doesn’t really fit that bill, they did inquire about his availability in the offseason and have continued to keep an eye on his situation, Fischer reports.
Lakers Notes: James, Doncic, Hachimura, Season
Although he has performed better as of late, LeBron James‘ numbers for the Lakers this season are some of the lowest since his rookie year. That’s OK with James, who knows what his role is for a team that’s now led by Luka Doncic, writes Dave McMenamin for ESPN.
“Luka don’t need to bend his game [for me],” James said. “Luka is our [26-year-old] franchise for this ballclub. He don’t need to bend his game… It’s up to us to bend our game around him and figure it out. We just try to be dynamic and work off of him. We know he is an unbelievable pick-and-roll player, unbelievable shot-maker. He commands the defense. He has four eyes, sometimes six eyes on him. So, it’s up to us to put ourselves in the right position.”
The Lakers have played well this season while players cycle in and out of the rotation, but in a tightly-packed Western Conference, James recognizes there’s room for improvement.
“We’re just trying to weather the storm with the guys that we have,” James said. “But, it is going to start with me and Luka, for sure. Every time we hit the floor. He has the ball in his hands. I’m going to have the ball in my hands. We have to make sure we are putting our guys in position offensively, and then defensively.”
James also provided an update on what fans should expect in regard to his availability moving forward.
“Every back-to-back, for the rest of the season, is TBD,” James said. “I am 41. I got the most minutes in NBA history. Bank [that answer] right now.”
We have more from the Lakers:
- Doncic has noticed the effort from the all-time great and doesn’t take it for granted. “He’s been absolutely amazing,” Doncic said of James. “Just helping me out, helping others out, being super efficient on the field goals. … He can do anything. Just really appreciate him. … We are playing better with each other, game by game. And this is just going to be improving more.”
- That process of improvement hit a snag this week as the Lakers lost two straight games to the Spurs and Bucks. Against Milwaukee, the Lakers’ stars came up short, writes Broderick Turner for the L.A. Times. James went scoreless over the last three minutes and had the game-clinching turnover, while Doncic fouled out with 16.2 seconds left in a tie game. Doncic was frustrated with the call after committing that shooting foul on Kevin Porter Jr., telling reporters after the game, “I don’t think he shoots like that. The referee said it was a foul. So, I guess it’s a foul.” Coach JJ Redick acknowledged it wasn’t Doncic’s best effort, but wasn’t overly concerned. “He missed some free throws, and I think he’s been such a dynamic driver and paint-toucher for us that those plays can kinda mess with your mind a little bit,” Redick said. “But he’s won of so many games and he’s not gonna, every, whatever game it is, you’re naturally gonna have not your best stuff. And he’s didn’t have his best stuff tonight.”
- Rui Hachimura, out since December 28 with a calf injury, was a full participant in practice on Sunday, Redick said, and he’ll likely play on Monday, per Daniel Starkand of Lakers Nation (Twitter link). Redick said that Hachimura will come off the bench, given that he’s on a minutes restriction. Once that restriction is lifted, Redick says he will decide whether or not Hachimura will rejoin the starting lineup.
- While the Lakers’ desire to add a two-way wing player to their roster is a poorly-kept secret, some around the league point to them as an example of why it might be a quieter trade deadline than expected, according to Tim Bontemps and Brian Windhorst of ESPN. The general sense is that L.A.’s limited assets will make it difficult to make an impact addition during the season. “They just need to fast forward to the offseason,” an anonymous league executive said. “They can’t realistically add to the roster. They don’t have a solve. They’re focused on keeping cap space and trying to do moves on the margins, and it’s hard to find a lot that makes sense.”