Los Angeles Lakers Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Pacific Notes: Beal, Nurkic, Finney-Smith, Vanderbilt, Batum, Leonard

January 6th, 2025 at 9:59pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Speaking to reporters prior to Phoenix’s game against Philadelphia on Monday, Suns head coach Mike Budenholzer discussed his reasons for benching Bradley Beal and Jusuf Nurkic, saying he needed to shake things up for his slumping team, Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic tweets.

“Feel like we needed to make a change,” he said. “Throughout a 48-minute game, you got to figure out your best combinations, your best ways to try to have success. They’re two important players to us, two very good players.”

Beal said he was “100 percent” surprised by the move, Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic tweets.

Ryan Dunn and Mason Plumlee moved into the lineup and Phoenix posted a 10-point win over the Joel Embiid-less Sixers. Beal wound up leading the team in scoring with 25 points in 30 minutes while Nurkic had five points and seven rebounds in 14 minutes.

We have more from the Pacific Division:

The Lakers‘ four-point loss to Houston on Sunday displayed the athleticism and physicality gap between the clubs, Jovan Buha of The Athletic writes. It could result in another lineup change. Recently acquired Dorian Finney-Smith could be moved into Rui Hachimura’s spot, Buha suggests, noting that Finney-Smith has outplayed Hachimura and provides better two-way balance.
Lakers forward Jarred Vanderbilt is nearing his season debut after an extensive rehab from offseason foot surgery. He has participated in non-contact portions of practice. “He continues to progress and ramping up to on-court activities,” coach JJ Redick said, per Khobi Price of the Orange County Register. “And hopefully we have a firm update on the timetable soon. But his progress is real right now.”
Clippers forward Nicolas Batum said Kawhi Leonard‘s return to action, in which Leonard scored 12 points against Atlanta on Saturday, unfolded as expected. “Nothing crazy. He didn’t force anything. He’s too good for that,” Batum said to Sportskeeda’s Mark Medina. “He’s going to let the game come to him. Then he’ll see the right opportunity to attack. He did that. It’s the first game. I wasn’t expecting him to get 30 [points]. But with the way he played and the way he took his shots and he attacked and he played defense, we’ll be fine.” Leonard was limited to eight points in 21 minutes in a loss to Minnesota on Monday.

Community Shootaround: Lakers’ Season

January 6th, 2025 at 8:41pm CST by Dana Gauruder

There’s still a month to go before the trade deadline arrives, but the Lakers have gotten the jump on the competition.

Late last month, they acquired forward Dorian Finney-Smith and guard Shake Milton from the Nets in exchange for D’Angelo Russell, Maxwell Lewis and three second-round picks.

Finney-Smith was the centerpiece of the deal for the Lakers. They were seeking a forward who could upgrade their defense and also space the floor.

Thus far, coach JJ Redick has used Finney-Smith off the bench in four games since the deal was completed. The Lakers have a 2-2 record during that stretch. Milton has also received second-unit minutes.

The Lakers’ hopes in the Western Conference still rely on the health and steady contributions of Anthony Davis and LeBron James, as well as the perimeter shooting of Austin Reaves.

Rui Hachimura, Max Christie, rookie Dalton Knecht, and Gabe Vincent are the other players who have received steady minutes. The Lakers have played well since moving Christie into the starting lineup. Knecht has cooled off after a strong start. They’re hopeful of getting a boost soon from forward Jarred Vanderbilt, who has yet to play this season due to foot and knee ailments.

Statistically, the Lakers rank among the top 10 in field goal percentage and fewest turnovers. However, they’re a middling three-point shooting team and they’re in bottom 10 in rebounding and defensive field goal percentage.

The deal with the Nets gave the Lakers some relief below the second tax apron and they still have some draft capital to offer in future deals — a pair of 2025 second-rounders, first-rounders in 2029 and 2031, and first-round pick swaps in 2026, 2028, and 2030.

They don’t have any players with expiring contracts who are making $4MM or more, so they’ll have to be more creative to make another deal.

That brings us to today’s topic: Did the Lakers improve their postseason prospects enough with the addition of Finney-Smith? If not, what other upgrades do they need to make to become true contenders again?

Please take to the comments section to weigh in on this topic. We look forward to your input.

Jimmy Butler Rumors: Grizzlies, Bucks, Suns, Beal, Pistons

January 6th, 2025 at 3:53pm CST by Luke Adams

The Grizzlies and Bucks are among the teams having ongoing discussions about the possibility of a Jimmy Butler trade, according to John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 (Twitter link).

Gambadoro notes that the Heat are exploring their options and weighing whether it makes more sense to trade Butler now or in the offseason via sign-and-trade (or possibly opt-in and trade).

Memphis has been a popular subject of speculation as a Butler destination in recent days, since the Grizzlies have a deep roster, all of their own draft picks, and multiple sizable contracts that are relatively team-friendly. They’re also known to be in the market for a defensive-minded wing, having been linked to Dorian Finney-Smith (before he was traded to the Lakers) and Cameron Johnson.

In a subscriber-only article, Chris Herrington of The Daily Memphian explores what a Grizzlies trade for Butler might look like, though he cautions that he’s skeptical about the idea and refers to it as unlikely.

It would be more difficult for Milwaukee to make a move for Butler, since the Bucks are operating about $6.5MM over the second apron and don’t have a single player whose salary matches or exceeds Butler’s $48.8MM cap hit. The Bucks would only be permitted to aggregate salaries in a trade if they move below the second apron upon the conclusion of the transaction and leave themselves with enough room below the second apron to eventually get back to the required minimum of 14 players.

Based on my back-of-the-napkin math, that would likely mean starting with a package of Khris Middleton and MarJon Beauchamp and adding either Brook Lopez or – more likely – both Bobby Portis and Pat Connaughton. A third-team facilitator would also be necessary, since the Heat can’t take back more salary than they send out. And all three teams would have to agree on draft-pick compensation.

Even if the Bucks could figure it out, it would mean giving up multiple key rotation players in exchange for one, further depleting their depth.

Here’s more on Butler:

Bradley Beal‘s no-trade clause “looms large” in the Suns‘ pursuit of Butler, according to Gambadoro (Twitter link), who says he’s heard the veteran guard would approve a deal to the Heat, Nuggets, or Los Angeles (presumably either the Lakers or Clippers). Beal may also ultimately decide there are a few other destinations that would work for him, Gambadoro adds. Given his massive contract and declining production, any club Beal approves would seek significant sweeteners and would probably want him to remove his no-trade clause going forward. Miami has zero interest in him, per multiple reports.
There has been some chatter about the idea of the Pistons taking on Beal in a trade that sends Butler to the Suns (and Tobias Harris and Tim Hardaway Jr. to Miami), given Jaden Ivey‘s leg injury, Detroit’s cap room, and various connections – familial and otherwise – between the Pistons’ and Suns’ front offices. Gambadoro tweets that it doesn’t make much sense to him that the Pistons would want Beal unless they were heavily incentivized to take him, but says he needs to do more digging on that subject.
Even if Beal were to waive his no-trade clause for Detroit (hardly a lock), I share Gambadoro’s skepticism about the appeal for the Pistons. While it’s true Detroit could use a short-term Ivey replacement, Beal’s maximum-salary contract is worth nearly $111MM across two more seasons beyond this one, and Phoenix probably doesn’t have enough tradable draft assets to sufficiently sweeten the pot for both the Heat and Pistons.
In a SiriusXM NBA Radio appearance (Streamable audio link), Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel confirms that there are three- and four-team scenarios involving Butler and Beal being explored. Winderman also wonders if the Suns’ decision to remove Beal from their starting lineup is at least in part about nudging him to be more open about waiving his no-trade clause.

Lakers Notes: Trade Deadline, Christie, Reaves, LeBron

January 5th, 2025 at 10:01am CST by Rory Maher

The Lakers have gone 8-3 since they moved Max Christie into the starting lineup last month, ranking sixth in the league in defensive rating over that span, writes Dan Woike of The Los Angeles Times. That makes the third-year guard highly unlikely to be moved prior to the February 6 trade deadline, according to Woike.

In fact, Christie is just the type of player the Lakers should be targeting, someone who can provide off-ball shooting, athleticism and perimeter defense. However, people around the NBA are quick to point out that just about every team is looking for players in that mold, Woike notes.

As Woike writes, the Lakers have frequently been linked to centers like Jonas Valanciunas and Walker Kessler, but acquiring a big man seems less likely after the acquisition of Dorian Finney-Smith, a floor-spacing forward who is capable of defending multiple positions. Rival teams are skeptical that the Jazz would even trade Kessler, preferring to keep the 23-year-old.

Los Angeles would also like to get a look at a second unit featuring a healthy Gabe Vincent and Jarred Vanderbilt — the latter is expected to make his season debut in January, while Vincent is currently dealing with an oblique injury.

Making an all-in move for a maximum-salary star seems very far-fetched, per Woike, as the failed Russell Westbrook experiment and the restrictions of the new tax aprons has made acquiring another massive contract unpalatable and impractical, if not impossible.

Here’s more on the Lakers:

Trading D’Angelo Russell, Maxwell Lewis and three second-round picks to Brooklyn acquire Finney-Smith and Shake Milton wasn’t just about adding complementary role players — it was also a way for the Lakers to see if Austin Reaves can develop into the third offensive star they’ve long been searching for, contends Dylan Hernandez of The Los Angeles Times (subscriber link).
As Khobi Price of The Southern California News Group details, Reaves’ usage rate has skyrocketed over the past few weeks, with the 26-year-old given more opportunities to run the offense. The Lakers have been far more efficient offensively when Reaves is on the court, especially lately, but he acknowledged there will be an adjustment period, Price adds. “I’m excited,” Reaves said. “I’m going to do dumb things. I’m going to mess up. I’m going to do dumb things and I’m going to learn from them. That’s all I can really do. I’m taking on this role on the fly, trading D-Lo, getting more on-ball reps. I’m just gonna learn. This is my fourth year in the league. Every day I can still learn something new. I’m really excited to continue to learn, to continue to grow and become a better player.”
Anthony Davis jokingly pointed out that it took him seven more seasons to accomplish the feat, but LeBron James broke Michael Jordan‘s NBA record for the most regular season games (563) scoring at least 30 points in Friday’s victory over Atlanta, as Dave McMenamin of ESPN relays. “It’s very humbling,” James said. “Anytime I’m mentioned with any of the greats, and arguably the greatest ever to play the game, super cool. It’s someone I idolized in my childhood, and I wear 23 because of him.”

Western Notes: Nurkic, Fox, Davis, Blazers, Harden

January 2nd, 2025 at 11:12pm CST by Luke Adams

Despite a report to the contrary, the Suns aren’t actively shopping Jusuf Nurkic, a source tells Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports (Twitter link).

While the distinction may matter to Nurkic himself, the question of whether or not the veteran center is being “actively shopped” likely comes down to semantics, since it’s clear Phoenix would move him if the right opportunity arises.

However, it won’t be easy to find that right opportunity. Nurkic, who has one more guaranteed year left on his contract after this season, will have limited value on the trade market and may be easier to trade in the offseason, Bourguet notes. The Suns also can’t aggregate salaries in a trade since they’re operating over the second tax apron, meaning Nurkic can’t be dealt for a player earning more than he is ($18.13MM).

Here’s more from around the Western Conference:

Weighing in on the De’Aaron Fox situation in Sacramento, Marc Stein (Substack link) covers many of the same bases that Sam Amick of The Athletic did earlier today, writing that teams are keeping a close eye on the situation even though the Kings aren’t yet willing to entertain the idea of trading their star point guard. Discussing the possibility of the Rockets pursuing Fox, Stein cautions not to assume Houston will be in the mix, even though the 27-year-old fits the team’s timeline better than previously rumored targets like Jimmy Butler or Kevin Durant. Rockets officials like how the current roster looks and may not zero in on Fox as the player they want to sacrifice several valuable assets to acquire, Stein writes.
The Lakers held Anthony Davis out of action on Thursday vs. Portland due to a left ankle sprain. As Dave McMenamin of ESPN relays (via Twitter), head coach JJ Redick said before the game that the Lakers want to “be smart” about Davis’ lingering ankle soreness and pointed out that the team faces a challenging January schedule, with 17 games in the next 30 days.
In a preview of what 2025 holds for the Trail Blazers, Sean Highkin of Rose Garden Report (Substack link) reiterates a point he has made before, writing that it’s “hard to picture” a scenario in which Chauncey Billups is still coaching the Blazers by the time the 2025/26 season tips off. Highkin also explores where things stand with Portland’s top trade candidates and the Blazers’ ownership situation, among other topics.
Clippers star James Harden was downgraded to questionable and then ruled out for the team’s Thursday game vs. Oklahoma City due to groin soreness. As Law Murray of The Athletic tweets, Harden also missed one game last month due to a groin issue — if the ailment isn’t any more serious this time around, it shouldn’t cause him to miss much – if any – additional time.

Injury Notes: Pelicans, Lakers, Celtics, Ivey, M. Robinson

January 2nd, 2025 at 5:03pm CST by Rory Maher

After missing the past 23 games with a left hamstring strain, Pelicans guard Jose Alvarado says he plans to return to action on Friday vs. Washington, as Will Guillory of The Athletic relays (via Twitter).

“I’ll be playing tomorrow for sure,” Alvarado said. “No doubt. … I finally get to be Jose again. It’s going to be a lot of crazy man out there.”

Both of the Pelicans’ injured star forwards — Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson — were spotted getting some on-court work in after Thursday’s practice, according to Guillory (Twitter video links).

Williamson has been out since Nov. 6 with a left hamstring strain and was considered week-to-week nine days ago. Ingram, who has been out since Dec. 7 due to a “significant” left ankle sprain, is set to be reevaluated next week.

Here are a few more injury notes from around the NBA:

Anthony Davis (left ankle sprain) and Gabe Vincent (left oblique strain) are unlikely to suit up on Thursday when the Lakers host Portland, according to Khobi Price of The Southern California News Group (Twitter link). Both players have been downgraded to doubtful after initially being listed as questionable.
The Celtics have downgraded Jaylen Brown (right shoulder strain) and Kristaps Porzingis (left ankle sprain) from questionable to out for Thursday’s game in Minnesota, tweets Keith Smith of Spotrac. Porzingis, who will miss his fourth consecutive game with the injury, said he was “definitely getting close” to returning following shootaround in the afternoon, per Jay King of The Athletic (Twitter link). Thursday will mark Brown’s first absence with the shoulder issue and sixth missed game overall.
Jaden Ivey underwent surgery on Thursday morning to repair the broken fibula in his left leg after sustaining the injury on Wednesday. Although Ivey will reportedly miss most — if not all — of the rest of the season, Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press hears there’s optimism the Pistons guard did not sustain ligament or tendon damage, which is encouraging news (Twitter link).
Knicks center Mitchell Robinson has yet to make his season debut as he recovers from offseason ankle surgery. Although he hasn’t been able to run at full speed to this point, head coach Tom Thibodeau said the team is expecting Robinson to be cleared for practices “sometime this month,” according to SNY.tv.

Kings Rumors: Fox, Brown, Ranadivé, Johnson, Ellis

January 2nd, 2025 at 8:00am CST by Luke Adams

In the wake of Mike Brown‘s dismissal, there has been plenty of speculation that De’Aaron Fox played a role in the Kings‘ decision, given that Brown was often critical of Fox when speaking to the media, including in the final days before he was let go. The Kings star was asked by one reporter over the weekend whether he felt “pressure or guilt” about Brown losing his job.

However, Fox has adamantly denied any involvement in the move, telling ESPN that he was on good terms with Brown and liked being coached hard by him. According to Sam Amick of The Athletic, team and league sources have backed up Fox’s account.

Brown himself is known to believe that Fox had nothing to do with the decision, league sources tell The Athletic. While general manager Monte McNair claimed responsibility for the coaching change, Amick writes that team owner Vivek Ranadivé was actually the “driving force” behind Brown’s ouster. Ranadivé has not spoken to the media.

Here’s more on the Kings:

The decision to fire a well-respected coach and then not adequately explain the decision to reporters is a textbook example of how to turn Fox into a “sympathetic figure” and perhaps make him more justified in seeking a change of scenery sooner or later, Amick observes. Fox has not asked for a trade, per league sources who spoke to The Athletic, but potential suitors are monitoring the situation closely. Among those teams, there’s a belief that the Kings point guard is more likely to become available in the offseason than prior to the February 6 trade deadline, Amick reports. Fox will be extension-eligible again next summer after passing on a new deal this past offseason.
According to Amick, the Spurs, Heat, and Lakers are atop the list of teams most frequently discussed as possible suitors for Fox if he becomes available via trade. The Magic and Rockets are among the other clubs thought to be considering the idea of pursuing Fox, though “the Spurs noise is the loudest,” Amick says.
For the time being, the Kings are focused on upgrading their current roster and don’t intend to entertain inquiries on Fox, according to Amick, who confirms that Nets forward Cameron Johnson is high on the team’s wish list, as Michael Scotto of HoopsHype previously reported. Sacramento has had “extensive” discussions with Brooklyn about Johnson, Amick writes.
The Kings moved to 2-1 under interim head coach Doug Christie with a 113-107 victory over Philadelphia on Wednesday. Defensive ace Keon Ellis earned a start and played a season-high 38 minutes, with Sacramento outscoring the Sixers by 17 points during Ellis’ time on the court. “He’s amazing,” Kings center Domantas Sabonis said of Ellis, per Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee. “He’s a professional. He stays ready, and he’s always there when we need him, especially on defense.”

Hayes, Finney-Smith Add More Depth To Lakers' Front Line

December 31st, 2024 at 10:58pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Lakers suddenly have much more frontcourt depth as Dorian Finney-Smith arrived in a trade with Brooklyn and Jaxson Hayes was cleared to return from an ankle injury, per Khobi Price of The Orange County Register. Coach J.J. Redick frequently relied on small-ball lineups, as the team has been without a legitimate backup center since Hayes got hurt. “Night to night, it will be different,” Redick told reporters before tonight’s game. “Jaxson is our backup five. But there may be times that we play small. It’s just the reality. (Finney-Smith) has shown he can guard up. Rui (Hachimura) has really improved from where we were three months ago, playing him at the five in our first preseason game to where he is now. … And we know Doe (Finney-Smith) can obviously play at the five as well. So excited to have options for sure.”

Pacific Rumors: Finney-Smith, Lakers, Kings, Fox, Clippers

December 31st, 2024 at 3:34pm CST by Luke Adams

After acquiring him from Brooklyn, the Lakers would like to hang onto three-and-D forward Dorian Finney-Smith long-term, says Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. However, Scotto hears that the early expectation is that Finney-Smith will decline his $15.4MM player option for the 2025/26 season in order to test free agency.

While it’s unclear if Finney-Smith could exceed that $15.4MM figure in terms of average annual salary on a new contract, he could certainly secure a larger overall guarantee with a new multiyear deal.

According to Scotto, besides the Lakers, other teams that had interest in Finney-Smith before the Nets traded him to Los Angeles included the Grizzlies, Mavericks, Nuggets, Warriors, Kings, and Pacers. That doesn’t necessarily mean all of those clubs will be in the mix if and when Finney-Smith reaches free agency, but they could be some of the potential suitors to watch.

Here are a few more items of interest from around the Pacific:

The next item on the Lakers‘ wish list is a backup center, according to Scotto, who says Wizards center Jonas Valanciunas is still very much a potential target for Los Angeles. As they peruse the market for a big man, the Lakers are expected to dangle Gabe Vincent and their remaining second-round draft capital, sources tell Scotto. The team still controls its own 2025 second-round pick, as well as the Clippers’ 2025 second-rounder.
Teams around the NBA are keeping an eye on the Kings to see if they’ll end up making a panic trade in the hopes of turning their season around, Scotto writes, reporting that Nets forward Cameron Johnson has been a consistent target for Sacramento. The biggest question among rival executives, Scotto says, is whether the Kings would entertain the idea of a De’Aaron Fox trade. There’s a sense from some around the league that Fox would have to request a trade for Sacramento to seriously consider moving him, Scotto adds.
League sources tell HoopsHype that Clippers two-way player Jordan Miller is a strong candidate for a promotion to the 15-man roster if the team can open up a spot for him. In that scenario, San Diego Clippers standouts Tosan Evbuomwan or RayJ Dennis would be among the contenders for the newly opened two-way slot, Scotto writes.

Pacific Notes: Christie, Finney-Smith, Podziemski, Warriors

December 31st, 2024 at 10:54am CST by Luke Adams

Kings interim head coach Doug Christie picked up his first win on Monday, as Sacramento took advantage of a Dallas team missing its top two scorers and snapped a six-game losing streak, registering its first home win since December 8. Christie has been an assistant coach in Sacramento since 2021, so his players were happy to see him get his first official victory as a head coach, writes Eric He of The Associated Press.

“We’ve spent three summers now with him,” Sabonis said. “He works his butt off and just to see him installing what he believes in the guys, and the guys reacting that quickly to it is awesome.”

As Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee details, Christie got emotional ahead of the game when asked by CBS Sacramento’s Jake Gadon what he wanted to say to Kings fans as the team attempts to turn its season around.

“I love you, first, because this is an incredible fan base, but I would say more than anything, know that we are here to put a product out on the floor that makes you proud,” Christie responded. “… I think everyone understands who I am and what I’m trying to do, so I don’t need to reiterate that, but first and foremost, there’s steps to that process, and the first step is that when they walk in the doors and they leave the doors, they know that team played their f—ing a– off.”

Given that multiple reports in the wake of Mike Brown‘s dismissal indicated that Kings players had grown weary of the coach’s public criticism of the team, one post-game remark Christie made while discussing the team’s need to perform better in “clutch” situations was especially noteworthy.

“When it comes to that point, what are you willing to do?” Christie said, according to He. “I know what I’m willing to do for you, and I’m going to support them in any way I can. Because it’ll always be my fault. It’ll never be their fault. They go do their job. I’m here to take the bullets.”

Here’s more from around the Pacific:

Lakers newcomers Dorian Finney-Smith and Shake Milton have been given the go-ahead to debut for their new team on Tuesday vs. Cleveland, according to Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link), who reports that the physicals for the four players involved in this week’s Lakers/Cavaliers swap are complete. As Jovan Buha of The Athletic relays, Finney-Smith said on Tuesday that he knew the odds were “high” that he’d be traded the season and added that he’s excited to play for the “big bros” in Los Angeles after being the “little brother” to the Knicks in Brooklyn.
The MRI on Brandin Podziemski‘s abdominal strain came back clean, according to Warriors head coach Steve Kerr. Kerr told reporters – including Tim Bontemps of ESPN (Twitter link) – that the guard is considered day-to-day after getting injured on Saturday and sitting out Monday’s game.
With their loss to Cleveland on Monday, the Warriors have now dropped 13 of 17 games and are back to .500 after starting the season 12-3. Star guard Stephen Curry referred to the team as “very average” at the moment, Anthony Slater of The Athletic writes, noting that several of Golden State’s offensive weapons – including Buddy Hield and Dennis Schröder – are going through shooting slumps at the same time. During the Warriors’ 12-3 start, they had the NBA’s sixth-best offensive rating (115.7); in their past 17 games, that number has plummeted to 106.1, ahead of only Charlotte and Washington.