Los Angeles Lakers Rumors | Hoops Rumors

LeBron James Plans To Retire As Laker

December 30th, 2024 at 8:20pm CST by Dana Gauruder

LeBron James said on his 40th birthday that he plans to retire with the Lakers, according to Jovan Buha of The Athletic.

“I think that’s the plan,” James told a swarm of reporters on Monday. “I would love for it to end here. That would be the plan. I came here to play the last stage of my career and to finish it off here. But I’m also not silly or too jaded to know the business of the game as well, to know the business of basketball. But I think my relationship with this organization speaks for itself. And hopefully, I don’t got to go nowhere before my career is over.”

James is in his seventh season as a Laker. He signed a two-year, $101.4MM contract with a no-trade clause during the offseason but could become a free agent again in the summer. He holds a $52.6MM player option.

No one his age in league history has posted the kind of numbers he has this season. He’s averaging 23.5 points, 7.9 rebounds and 9.0 assists in 35 minutes per game while appearing in 28 of 31 Lakers contests so far.

“If I really wanted to, I could probably play this game at a high level probably for about another — it’s weird that I might say this — but probably about another five to seven years, if I wanted to,” James said. “But I’m not going to do that.”

When will James retire? If he has a notion, he didn’t reveal it on Monday. He did declare that once he leaves the game, he’ll resist the urge to make a comeback.

“I would miss the hell out of (basketball), for sure,” James said. “But no, I won’t walk away and come back.”

Kings Notes: Trade Talks, Brown, Fox, Carter

December 30th, 2024 at 4:21pm CST by Rory Maher

As the Kings began to slide down the Western Conference standings over the past several weeks, the front office contemplated making smaller trades “just to change things up,” and also discussed larger deals involving Bulls wing Zach LaVine, Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram, Nets guard Cam Thomas, and Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma, league sources tell Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.

According to Shelburne, the Kings consulted with former head coach Mike Brown on whether to make roster or coaching staff changes prior to parting ways with the 2023 Coach of the Year.

“Nobody wanted to fire Mike,” one Kings source told Shelburne. “He’s a good coach. People here really care about him. Until the very last moment we were trying to make it work.”

Sources tell Shelburne that general manager Monte McNair, assistant GM Wes Wilcox, team president Matina Kolokotronis and owner Vivek Ranadive had “several calls and meetings” to discuss Brown’s future with the organization during Sacramento’s recent 0-5 homestand. McNair ultimately called Brown to inform him of the decision as Brown was driving to the airport to board a team flight to L.A. — the timing and execution of the move drew criticism from around the NBA.

After speaking to Brown, McNair and Wilcox called De’Aaron Fox, DeMar DeRozan and Domantas Sabonis to let them know, but none were consulted beforehand, Shelburne reports.

Shelburne also confirms a report from The Athletic stating that Kings players had grown weary of Brown publicly bashing the team in post-game press conferences.

For what it’s worth, Marc Stein writes that it’s a “struggle to find anyone around the league” who thinks the firing of Brown was justified (Substack link).

Here’s more on the Kings:

There has been some speculation that Fox may have been unhappy with Brown, in part because of the way the veteran coach criticized him for committing a disastrous foul in the closing seconds of Thursday’s loss to Detroit, but the former All-Star tells Shelburne he enjoys being coached hard and was on good terms with Brown. “I feel like there’s this perception that people thought that we were at odds,” Fox says. “You can ask anybody in this organization: me and Mike have never even had an argument. We could disagree with something. We talked about it and it was gone.”
According to Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report, there have been “grumblings in NBA circles” suggesting that Fox will ask to be traded before the February 6 deadline. With that in mind, Pincus comes up with a hypothetical deal that sees Fox land with the Rockets.
Rookie guard Devin Carter made his NBA G League debut with the Stockton Kings on Saturday and was recalled prior to Sunday’s matchup with the Lakers, though he didn’t end up playing in what would have been a back-to-back (Twitter link via Sean Cunningham of Fox 40 Sacramento). Still, it’s obviously a positive development, as Carter is inching closer to making his NBA regular season debut following offseason shoulder surgery.

Trade Rumors: Grizzlies, Nets, C. Johnson, Wizards, Lakers

December 30th, 2024 at 9:22am CST by Luke Adams

After Michael Scotto reported on Sunday that the Grizzlies wanted to include top-15 protection on their 2025 first-round pick in their offer to the Nets for Dorian Finney-Smith, Marc Stein writes at The Stein Line (Substack link) that one source said the protection on that pick was actually top-17.

Brian Lewis of The New York Post, confirming that the protection on the pick the Grizzlies offered was so heavy that “it might never have conveyed,” adds (via Twitter) that Memphis was asking for the Nets’ own 2025 second-round pick in return. Based on the current standings, those two selections are just 11 picks apart at No. 26 and No. 37, per Tankathon, and they could end up even closer than that if Brooklyn moves further down the standings.

As Stein explains, the Nets were more inclined to take the Lakers’ offer for Finney-Smith since it added three future second-round picks to their stash without requiring them to give up any draft assets of their own. It also didn’t include any guaranteed salary beyond this season, whereas the Grizzlies’ offer would’ve meant taking back John Konchar, whose deal is guaranteed through 2026/27.

Now that they’ve missed out on Finney-Smith, it wouldn’t surprise anyone around the NBA if the Grizzlies continue talking to the Nets and pivot to pursuing forward Cameron Johnson, according to Stein, who adds that Memphis is expected to continue shopping Konchar.

Brooklyn is said to be seeking multiple first-round picks for Johnson, but they were also asking for a first-round pick for both Finney-Smith and Dennis Schröder and ultimately settled for second-rounders, Stein observes. That doesn’t mean they’ll take second-rounders for Johnson too, but it suggests the asking price of “multiple first-round picks” may come down a little before February 6.

Here are a few more trade-related notes and rumors from across the league:

Many league observers had been expecting the Lakers to pursue the Wizards duo of Malcolm Brogdon and Jonas Valanciunas and were surprised to see them make a deal with Brooklyn, according to Stein. Los Angeles could still technically make a deal for both of those two Wizards, but it would be difficult to land more than one of them without D’Angelo Russell‘s expiring contract. “I like the combo of Finney-Smith and (Shake) Milton better for the Lakers than the two Washington guys,” one longtime talent evaluator told Stein.
Citing team and league sources, Jovan Buha of The Athletic confirms that the Lakers will continue exploring the trade market for additional upgrades ahead of the Feb. 6 deadline. For now, the Lakers’ plan is to assess Finney-Smith’s fit with the current group and make a decision close to the trade deadline on whether it makes sense to give up one or both of their tradable first-rounders (2029 and 2031) in another deal.
Given that Schröder and Finney-Smith were traded for second-round compensation, teams pursuing a first-round pick in exchange for their role-player trade candidates might have trouble getting the return they’re seeking, Stein notes, pointing to Bulls center Nikola Vucevic and Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma as a couple examples. Valanciunas, Brogdon, Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson, and Raptors teammates Kelly Olynyk and Bruce Brown are a few of the players believed to be available for second-round picks, Stein adds.

Lakers Notes: James, Christie, Finney-Smith, Trade Assets

December 29th, 2024 at 10:59pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Lakers forward LeBron James, who’s been the league’s oldest active player since the start of the 2023/24 season, turns 40 on Monday. As Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press notes, James will become the first player in league history to suit up during his teens, 20s, 30s, and 40s. James will also become only the 30th player ever to appear in a regular season contest in his 40s.

“In some ways he’s a freak of nature,” league commissioner Adam Silver said of James. “I’ve been around a lot of great players and he’s one of the hardest-working players I’ve been around. I mean, he doesn’t take a day off. He seems to not take an afternoon off. He’s always working on some part of his body. You meet with him and he’s always soaking something or eating something with some contraption attached to him.”

The four-time league MVP continues to look like an All-Star while playing in his 22nd NBA season for the 18-13 Lakers. He’s averaging 23.5 points on .496/.357/.767 shooting splits, along with 9.0 rebounds and 7.9 boards per game.

There’s more out of Los Angeles:

Although Lakers swingman Max Christie started his third season a bit unsteadily, he has rounded into form of late. Prior to L.A.’s trade for three-and-D wing Dorian Finney-Smith and point guard Shake Milton, Christie had emerged as a regular part of head coach JJ Redick‘s starting five. The arrival of Finney-Smith may change his role, but Christie has begun to deliver on the promise of the four-year, $32MM deal he signed to stay with Los Angeles over the summer. In a lengthy interview with The Athletic’s Jovan Buha, Christie acknowledged he felt increased pressure to perform after signing his first big NBA contract. “There are a lot of things that happen in the offseason where you get re-signed, I have expectations for myself,” he said. “I think I had too much emphasis on trying to play perfectly [early in the season], do all the right things, and that led to me kind of thinking all the time when I’m out there. I wasn’t flowing. I wasn’t free.” Christie has really made the most of his time back in the rotation over the past month. “It’s been really good so far, honestly. I look back at it and reflect on my whole career up to this point,” he said. “I hadn’t really played a lot, and then I was just trying to work and work and work.”
The Lakers surrendered three second-round draft picks to acquire Finney-Smith and Milton, in addition to the expiring $18.7MM deal of reserve guard D’Angelo Russell and second-year forward Maxwell Lewis. Zach Harper of The Athletic praises the deal for head of basketball operations Rob Pelinka and projects that the 6’7″ Finney-Smith will immediately join the Lakers’ starting lineup, with Christie being moved back to the bench. Finney-Smith will add defensive length along the perimeter, plus a solid three-point shooting stroke. Harper is pessimistic that Milton will crack Redick’s rotation ahead of reserve point guard Gabe Vincent.
Just who gets demoted to the Lakers’ bench has yet to be determined. Jovan Buha of The Athletic thinks forward Rui Hachimura could become a reserve, meaning Max Christie would play alongside Finney-Smith in a new starting unit. Buha notes that the deal will help free up a little cap flexibility for Los Angeles, with the team now $3.5MM below the league’s restrictive second tax apron. Losing Russell means the Lakers are sacrificing some play-making while gaining defense and off-ball shooting. Los Angeles still has some trade assets at its disposal if it wants to continue making deals. In addition to two remaining second-round picks and three first-round pick swaps, the Lakers technically have three tradable future first-round draft selections, but can move only two at most due to the Stepien rule.

Lakers Acquire Dorian Finney-Smith In Four-Player Deal

December 29th, 2024 at 3:33pm CST by Arthur Hill

3:33pm: The trade is official, according to press releases from both clubs.

11:20am: The Lakers will trade D’Angelo Russell, Maxwell Lewis and three second-round picks to the Nets in exchange for Dorian Finney-Smith and Shake Milton, according to Shams Charania of ESPN.

The second-rounders heading to Brooklyn will be Los Angeles’ own selections in 2027, 2030 and 2031, sources tell Charania. The ’27 pick being conveyed to Brooklyn is contingent on the ’27 first-round pick (top-four protected) L.A. owes Utah, notes Bobby Marks of ESPN (Twitter link), as the Lakers will send the Jazz their ’27 second-round pick if the ’27 first-rounder lands in the top four.

Finney-Smith had been one of the most sought-after three-and-D players on this year’s market and will bring versatility to a team that has been looking to improve its defense. He’s having one of the best shooting seasons of his career, connecting at 45.9% from the floor and 43.5% from three-point range while averaging 10.4 points and 4.6 rebounds per night through 20 games.

The 31-year-old forward is earning $14.9MM this season and has a $15.4MM player option for 2025/26 that he may be more likely to exercise if he’s part of a contending team in L.A. He could also decline the option in order to sign a longer-term deal with the Lakers or to test the free agent market.

Milton is signed through 2026/27, but only this season is guaranteed at $2.875MM. His salaries of $3MM for next season and $3.3MM for the following year won’t become fully guaranteed until the summer before each season.

Russell has an $18.7MM expiring contract, along with $700K in unlikely bonuses that will count toward the apron, according to Bobby Marks of ESPN (Twitter link). Lewis is making $1.9MM this year and has a $100K guarantee on his $2.2MM salary for 2025/26.

Russell spent time with Brooklyn early in his career and reportedly didn’t part on great terms when he was traded to Golden State in 2019. While he may be a buyout candidate, Russell’s $18MM+ salary would make him ineligible to join any team operating above either tax apron if he’s waived.

The Lakers were able to save some money in the deal and give themselves more flexibility under the second apron, Marks adds (Twitter links). They are currently within $30K of the second apron, but that number will rise to about $3.5MM once the deal is finalized and their projected tax bill will drop by about $11MM. Because they won’t have to aggregate their two outgoing salaries, the Lakers also still won’t be hard-capped at the second apron.

The trade will cost the Lakers three of the five second-round picks they had available to move, but they still have a pair of 2025 second-rounders, first-rounders in 2029 and 2031, and first-round pick swaps in 2026, 2028, and 2030 to offer in any future deals.

The Nets will continue their rebuilding process after sending Dennis Schröder to Golden State two weeks ago. They now project to have $65MM in cap space this summer, according to cap expert Yossi Gozlan (Twitter link), which gives them more ammunition to pursue high-level free agents and still re-sign Cam Thomas. Their cap room had previously been projected at around $50MM due to Finney-Smith’s player option.

Brooklyn will have 16 second-round picks and 15 first-rounders over the next seven years, Gozlan adds (Twitter link), giving them more draft equity than any other team. Taking on the extra salary leaves the Nets about $677K below the luxury tax for this season.

A report on Saturday night from Marc Stein indicated that the Nets and Grizzlies were actively involved in discussions that would send Finney-Smith to Memphis in exchange for a package centered around John Konchar and Luke Kennard.

The Grizzlies may have been willing to part with a first-round pick for Finney-Smith, but reportedly wanted to heavily protect that selection and sought second-round compensation in return. Stein states that the Lakers were able to top that offer by giving Brooklyn three second-round picks (Twitter link).

Kings Notes: Christie, Expectations, Ellis, Fox

December 29th, 2024 at 9:03am CST by Arthur Hill

The Kings changed coaches on Friday in response to a five-game losing streak, but they didn’t look much different Saturday night in Doug Christie’s debut, writes Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee. Defense continued to be a glaring issue as the team sank further in the West with a 132-122 road loss against the Lakers. Sacramento gave up 40 points in the first quarter and 42 points in the third quarter before a late rally fell short.

After the loss, Christie told reporters that the key to turning the season around is getting a commitment from his players on both ends of the court.

“We have enough,” he said. “This is a message that I said to them. There is enough in this locker room, but how we get over that is the types of things I’ve talked about. The consistency, the focus, the willingness to play for my team at such a high level that it hurts and I have to come out of the game. It’s up to me to be able to find that.”

Christie had a 15-year NBA career as an intense competitor who specialized in defense, and he wants to bring that same attitude to the team. While they were caught off guard by the sudden loss of Mike Brown, several players pledged their dedication to Christie as he tries to salvage the season after a 13-19 start.

“Everyone likes Doug, so for him to be our interim head coach for the rest of the year, I think everyone is going to try to rally around him and give him the best situation possible, try to not give him as much stress,” Keegan Murray said. “He’s definitely been to each and every one of us in some way or another just to try to motivate us. He’s been great these last 24 hours, just trying to motivate our team to turn the season around.”

There’s more on the Kings:

The team’s ownership and front office have made it clear that there’s no “grace period” and that results are expected immediately, Kevin Huerter told Anderson in the same story. With the trade deadline less than six weeks away, it’s possible that major changes could be coming if the Kings don’t start winning. “For us, that was a message that was very clear yesterday,” Huerter said. “We don’t see this as a lost season. We’ve got to right the ship. We’ve got to turn this around, so there’s definitely no grace period … We’ve had a lot of different meetings over the last 24 hours. Generally, there’s still a lot of belief in this organization and this room, and we think we’ve got to create some urgency to try to turn it around.”
Third-year guard Keon Ellis may see a larger role as the Kings try to upgrade their perimeter defense, Christie added (Twitter video link from Law Murray of The Athletic). “Keon is a perfect example of a lot of things that I want,” Christie said. “When he got into the game tonight, he didn’t shoot the shot. He put it on the deck and he got in the lane. I looked at him and I said, ‘Listen, man, you gotta shoot that. I need you to shoot the basketball; you shoot it well. Defensively, you pick up. You’re an irritant. You need to get after people. So a lot of the things that he does, we need, but we need him to shoot that basketball.
If De’Aaron Fox decides to ask for a trade before the deadline, the Spurs and Rockets are teams to watch, along with possibly the Lakers and Heat, Tim MacMahon of ESPN said on the latest edition of The Hoop Collective podcast (hat tip to HoopsHype).

Jaxson Hayes Nears Return; LeBron James Out With Illness

December 28th, 2024 at 9:01pm CST by Arthur Hill

The first 30 games have shown that the Lakers don’t need to make a desperation trade for Zach LaVine, contends Mirjam Swanson of The Orange County Register. Swanson views the team’s major needs as a three-and-D wing and a reliable backup center, and recommends pursuing Jazz big man Walker Kessler.
Lakers center Jaxson Hayes, who has only been active for one of the past 21 games because of an ankle injury, has been able to play five-on-five in practice, according to Dave McMenamin of ESPN (Twitter link). Hayes hopes to be ready for Tuesday’s game against Cleveland if the ankle continues to improve.
Lakers star LeBron James will miss tonight’s game with an illness that also forced him to skip Friday’s practice, McMenamin adds (Twitter link). Gabe Vincent is taking his place in the starting lineup.

Pacific Notes: Brown, Christie, Kings, Fox, Schröder, Lakers

December 28th, 2024 at 11:49am CST by Earnest Marshall

Former Kings head coach Mike Brown tore into his team after another blown lead led to a loss against the Pistons on Thursday. However, Anthony Slater and Sam Amick of The Athletic write that Brown’s stern post-game news conferences began to wear on players, and that was part of the Kings’ decision to part with him.

Slater and Amick report that there was no malice or specific purpose intended with the timing of the firing, which came as Brown was getting ready for the team’s flight for their game in Los Angeles. Owner Vivek Ranadive was particularly upset with the Kings’ poor play and noted their fall from first in offense in 2022/23 to the middle of the pack last season, but the decision to let go of Brown was general manager Monte McNair‘s, according to Slater and Amick.

The Kings will have a chance to right the ship under interim replacement Doug Christie, with the team boasting the eighth-best offense in the league despite falling to 13-18.

We have more from the Pacific Division:

There is no immediate head coaching search planned for the Kings, Slater and Amick write in the same story. After being named interim coach, Christie will have an opportunity to make a case for the permanent position. Christie’s promotion was a long time coming. Ranadive once saw Christie as a viable alternative to Alvin Gentry (who was eventually named interim coach) after Luke Walton was fired in 2021. Christie has a strong relationship with players and staff and made a lasting impression in Sacramento during his time as a player, commentator and assistant, per The Athletic.
Choosing a starting lineup will be one of Christie’s first tasks as coach, Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee writes. The starting shooting guard position will likely come down to Malik Monk, Kevin Huerter or Keon Ellis.
De’Aaron Fox took accountability for his defensive mistake at the end of Thursday’s loss to the Pistons, Sean Cunningham of Fox 40 Sacramento reports (Twitter link). Fox spoke in front of his teammates and took ownership during the tough slide, teammate Keegan Murray relayed.
Warriors guard Dennis Schröder struggled through his first five games with Golden State after starting off the year hot with Brooklyn. In his last five games, Schröder averaged 8.2 points on 28.0% shooting as opposed to the 18.4 points on 45.2% shooting he posted with the Nets. However, coach Steve Kerr said he’s not worried about Schröder’s play, according to Slater (Twitter link). “You trust who the player has been. It’s a tiny sample size,” Kerr said. “He came to us at a time when we were ice cold. He needs shooting around him. He’s a pick-and-roll player. We were 7-for-38 tonight from three.”
The Lakers are getting healthier, providing Los Angeles a reason for optimism, Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times writes. Jaxson Hayes is now day-to-day and close to returning while head coach JJ Redick said there’s hope both Christian Wood and Jarred Vanderbilt will be able to make their season debuts during an upcoming stretch that includes nine of 11 games at home.

Bulls Notes: LaVine, Vucevic, Ball, Giddey, Dosunmu, Carter

December 27th, 2024 at 6:09pm CST by Luke Adams

Although there have been “whispers” about the Lakers as a possible landing spot for Bulls guard Zach LaVine for the better part of a year, the pieces that would need to be included in a deal between the two teams wouldn’t fit for Chicago, a source tells Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times, making Los Angeles an unlikely landing spot for LaVine.

Cowley, who previously confirmed that there was some “light momentum” in LaVine talks between the Bulls and Nuggets, says no additional progress has been made. The two teams have sent each other feelers about what a trade might look like, but discussions haven’t gone beyond that.

Cowley also takes a look at where things stand with Nikola Vucevic and Lonzo Ball, noting that the Bulls would ideally like to get draft assets and expiring salaries in exchange for both players.

While one report stated that Chicago is seeking a first-round pick in return for Vucevic, a source who spoke to Cowley suggests that’s not necessarily the case and that a package of multiple second-rounders is a more realistic return. Second-round draft compensation and matching expiring money would likely also be a best scenario in a Ball deal, Cowley adds.

Here’s more on the Bulls:

Point guard Josh Giddey, who has missed four straight games due to a sprained right ankle, is listed as questionable to play on Saturday vs. Milwaukee, as are Ball (illness) and Matas Buzelis (illness). According to Cowley, head coach Billy Donovan seems confident that Ball will be available and said Giddey might be too. “I wouldn’t say it’s a long shot, but a lot is going to depend on how he responds off (Thursday’s) workout and then probably get another one in (Friday),” Donovan said of Giddey’s potential return. “That will probably be a pretty good tell on if he’ll be available on Saturday.”
While Giddey and Ball may be back on Saturday, it sounds like another injured Bulls guard, Ayo Dosunmu, will miss a little more time. He’s listed as doubtful to play in the Milwaukee game due to a right soleus (calf) strain. “It’s kind of lingered a little bit, gotten sorer and sorer,” Donovan said, per Cowley. “Some of it may be his minutes, I don’t know, but enough that they want to evaluate it and look at it. He is uncomfortable with it right now in terms of planting, pushing off, springing, jumping, that kind of stuff is bothering him.”
With the Bulls’ backcourt banged up, veteran guard Jevon Carter played 36 minutes and scored 26 points in Thursday’s loss to Atlanta. It was just the second time this season he’s played double-digit minutes and it was his highest-scoring game since he joined the Bulls as a free agent in 2023. In a separate story for The Chicago-Sun Times, Cowley writes that Carter has maintained a positive attitude despite his limited role as a Bull. “I’m happy for him personally, just because all of the time he puts in,” Donovan said. “The opportunities have been limited, but the ability and the maturity competitively just to keep himself ready at all times is really impressive to me. To see him rewarded for the work he puts in was great.”

And-Ones: Fears, 2025 Draft, 2026 Draft, Graham, Young, Wells

December 26th, 2024 at 8:36pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Oklahoma guard Jeremiah Fears has improved his draft stock with his early season performances, according to Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report. In Wasserman’s view, Fears now projects to go anywhere from No. 3 to No. 10 next June after leading the Sooners to a 12-0 start, including a 30-point outing against Michigan.

Saint Joseph’s forward Rasheer Fleming and Illinois guard Kasparas Jakucionis have also been impressive during the first two months of the college season. Fleming is now receiving first-round consideration, while Jakucionis is solidifying his projected lottery status.

We have more from around the basketball world:

While the 2025 draft class has received plenty of hype, the top of the 2026 draft could be even more impressive, according to Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic. Wing AJ Dybantsa is the top player in his class, while Cameron Boozer and Darryn Peterson have also generated some buzz regarding their futures. One NBA executive suggested to Vorkunov that teams might start positioning themselves for the 2026 draft ahead of this year’s trade deadline.
Unsigned NBA veteran guard Devonte’ Graham may have earned at least a 10-day deal with his outing in the G League Showcase, according to John Hollinger of The Athletic. Graham had a 24-point game for the South Bay Lakers. Graham spent training camp and the preseason on a non-guaranteed contract with the Trail Blazers before being waived. A few other unaffiliated players stood out, Hollinger adds, with Grand Rapids Gold guard Jahmir Young heading that group. He had 50 points in two games. He was waived by the Nuggets during training camp.
The race for the Rookie of the Year award is wide open, The Athletic’s Fred Katz notes. With the Sixers‘ Jared McCain sidelined, Grizzlies‘ second-rounder Jaylen Wells currently tops Katz’s ballot. He lists Pelicans big man Yves Missi second and Spurs wing Stephon Castle third but any number of players could emerge from the pack in the coming months and challenge for top honors.