Los Angeles Lakers Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Nikola Jokic’s Agent Suggests LeBron James To Denver In 2026

July 27th, 2025 at 8:59am CST by Arthur Hill

A boat trip is sparking speculation that two of the NBA’s biggest names could eventually team up with the Nuggets, according to BasketNews.

In an Instagram post on Saturday, Misko Raznatovic, the longtime agent for Nikola Jokic, shared photos of himself with LeBron James and Maverick Carter, James’ business partner, in St. Tropez. Raznatovic added the caption, “The summer of 2025 is the perfect time to make big plans for the fall of 2026! @kingjames @mavcarter.”

Speculation has been building that James could be on the move — whether it’s during the upcoming season or next summer — ever since he picked up his $52.6MM player option. That decision was accompanied by a statement from his agent, Rich Paul of Klutch Sports, who said the 40-year-old star still wants to compete for championships and would be monitoring the Lakers‘ offseason moves.

The Cavaliers, Mavericks, Warriors and Knicks are among the teams that have been mentioned as future homes for James, but the Nuggets also make sense from a competitive standpoint. James is coming off a second team All-NBA season, and partnering him with Jokic could significantly bolster Denver’s title chances.

The Nuggets couldn’t afford to give James another $50MM contract with Jokic ($59MM) and Jamal Murray ($50.1MM) already on their books for 2026/27 and beyond. Aaron Gordon ($32MM) and Cameron Johnson ($23MM) will also limit the Nuggets’ financial flexibility, but James might be willing to accept a smaller salary to join a team that would give him a chance to win a fifth ring.

There seems to be a growing sense around the league that this will be James’ final season with the Lakers as the team focuses on building around Luka Doncic and prioritizes cap space for the summer of 2027. James has been an All-NBA selection in each of his seven seasons since coming to L.A. in 2019 and delivered a title in 2020.

Dallas May Be Among LeBron James' Future Options

July 26th, 2025 at 11:02pm CST by Arthur Hill

What’s next for Lakers forward LeBron James as he enters his 23rd NBA season? Marc Stein tackles that topic in his latest Substack article, speculating that the 2025/26 season will be James’ last with the Lakers but not his last as an NBA player, though he makes it clear that’s more of a “gut-feel read” than hard reporting. Stein adds that he thinks James has some “genuine curiosity” about the idea of playing in Dallas, even though he and his family are “extremely settled” in Los Angeles.

Lakers Sign Four Players To Exhibit 10 Contracts

July 26th, 2025 at 3:58pm CST by Luke Adams

The Lakers have added four players to their offseason roster, announcing today (via Twitter) that guards RJ Davis and Augustas Marciulionis and forwards Eric Dixon and Arthur Kaluma have officially signed with the club. All four players received Exhibit 10 contracts, according to Dave McMenamin of ESPN (Twitter link).

All four of these players are undrafted rookies who reached agreements to join the Lakers shortly after the draft wrapped up in June, so none of the signings come as a surprise. However, it’s worth noting that reporting last month suggested that Dixon would get a two-way contract — instead, he has joined the team on an Exhibit 10 deal.

Dixon was the top prospect on ESPN’s big board who went undrafted having been ranked 44th overall prior to the draft. The 6’8″ lefty led all Division I players in scoring in 2024/25, putting up 23.3 points per game on .451/.407/.813 shooting splits in 35 appearances for Villanova (34.8 MPG). He also chipped in 5.1 rebounds per contest en route to third-team All-American honors.

According to Dan Woike of The Athletic (Twitter link), Dixon didn’t play for the Lakers’ Summer League team due to a foot injury — that may also be the reason why he ultimately signed an Exhibit 10 contract instead of a two-way deal. Since Exhibit 10s can be converted to two-way contracts before the start of the regular season, it remains possible that Dixon will get a promotion at some point.

Davis, a six-foot guard who earned ACC Player of the Year honors for the 2023/24 season, averaged 17.2 points and 3.6 assists per game for North Carolina as a super-senior in ’24/25.

A two-time WCC Player of the Year, Marciulionis averaged 14.2 PPG, 5.9 APG, and 4.1 APG in 35 outings last season for Saint Mary’s. The 6’4″ Lithuanian guard posted shooting splits of .446/.347/.793.

Kaluma, a 6’7″ wing, registered averages of 12.3 PPG, 7.5 RPG, and 1.8 APG during his final NCAA season for Texas, with a shooting line of .462/.359/.784. Prior to his Longhorns stint, Kaluma also suited up for Creighton and Texas State.

Exhibit 10 contracts are non-guaranteed but include bonuses worth up to $85,300 if the player is waived and then spends at least 60 days with his team’s G League affiliate.

Lakers Add Christian Koloko, Chris Manon On Two-Way Deals

July 24th, 2025 at 5:08pm CST by Rory Maher

July 24: Manon is officially a Laker now as well, according to the team (Twitter link via Khobi Price of The Southern California News Group).

July 23: Koloko has officially been signed to a two-way contract, Dan Woike of The Athletic tweets.

July 21: The Lakers are filling two of their three two-way slots by signing Christian Koloko and Chris Manon, according to Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).

L.A. made Koloko a restricted free agent in June when the team gave him a qualifying offer. There was an expectation he’d return to the Lakers, but he drew outside interest as well, tweets Charania.

The 7’1″ center from Cameroon showed promise as a rookie with Toronto in 2022/23 after being selected No. 33 overall in the 2022 draft, but his career was sidetracked by a blood clot issue which sidelined him for the entire 2023/24 season. He was medically cleared to continue playing last fall and wound up with the Lakers on a two-way contract.

Koloko made 37 appearances with the Lakers last season, averaging 2.4 points and 2.5 rebounds in 9.2 minutes per contest. He also played in 12 G League games with the Lakers’ affiliate (South Bay), averaging 14.5 PPG, 8.1 RPG and 3.3 BPG in 29.6 MPG.

The 25-year-old also made five Summer League appearances in Las Vegas, averaging 7.2 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 1.2 SPG and 2.6 BPG in 17.5 MPG.

Manon, a 6’5″ guard/forward, went undrafted out of Vanderbilt last month. He played for the Warriors in both the California Classic and Las Vegas Summer Leagues, Charania notes.

Manon thrived at creating turnovers in his four-year college career, the first three of which he spent with Cornell. He posted career averages of 9.9 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 2.1 APG and 2.0 SPG on .535/.304/.728 shooting in just 19.6 MPG.

The 23-year-old wing made seven total Summer League appearances for Golden State (17.1 MPG), per RealGM, averaging 9.0 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 1.9 APG, 1.6 SPG and 1.4 BPG, with a shooting line of .442/.286/.676.

All three of the Lakers’ two-way spots will be filled once the deals for Koloko and Manon are official, with center Trey Jemison currently the third player on a two-way contract.

The Lakers reportedly agreed to a two-way deal with former Villanova forward Eric Dixon shortly after he went undrafted in June. It’s unclear what will happen with Dixon now that all three spots are occupied, but it’s worth noting that two-way contracts are non-guaranteed and don’t count against the salary cap, so further changes are certainly possible.

Assuming L.A. eventually carries a full 15-man standard roster (the team may open the season with 14), both Koloko and Manon can be active for up to 50 games next season. Each player will earn $636,435 in ’25/26.

LeBron's Situation Explained; Bronny Shines In Summer League

July 23rd, 2025 at 11:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

In a Threads exchange with radio host Colin Cowherd, Brian Windhorst of ESPN sheds some light on the uneasy relationship between LeBron James and the Lakers since the arrival of Luka Doncic. “A lot has changed for LBJ in the last year,” Windhorst wrote. “A year ago the Lakers were offering him a multi-year deal with a player option, drafted and guaranteed Bronny a long-term deal and LBJ was offering to give up money to work with free agents. Now Luka is centerpiece of franchise & the transition has shocked & strained everyone & they’re all dealing with the new reality. That’s playing out partially in real time and in some public. At the end of the day, I think LBJ wants to be a Laker.” James’ agent, Rich Paul of Klutch Sports, said in a Summer League interview that James hasn’t asked the team for a trade.
Bronny James‘ improvement was the most significant development for the Lakers‘ Summer League squad, observes Khobi Price of The Orange County Register. James averaged 14.2 points, 3.8 assists and 2.8 rebounds in Las Vegas and was able to attack opposing defenses with more confidence than he showed a year ago. However, he only shot 29.6% from three-point range and still needs to become more consistent on defense, Price adds.
The Suns, who claimed Jordan Goodwin off waivers earlier today, knew there was at least one other team planning to submit a claim for the former Lakers guard and weren’t sure they’d land him, according to John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 (Twitter link). Waiver priority is determined by last season’s record, with the worst teams getting first dibs.

Rockets Notes: Green, Finney-Smith, Durant, Sheppard

July 23rd, 2025 at 5:44pm CST by Arthur Hill

Former Rockets guard Jalen Green reflected on his time in Houston, along with the trade that sent him to the Suns, in a lengthy post on The Players Tribune. Green was part of the price the Rockets paid, along with Dillon Brooks and the 10th pick in this year’s draft, to acquire Kevin Durant. Although he’s sad to leave the city, Green said he understands the reasoning behind the deal.

“Listen, nobody likes to get traded. But I can honestly say that I get it, bro,” he wrote. “This is a business, and if I was up there in the executive chair, I probably would’ve made the deal, too. I think it’s a better situation for both sides, and I’m just excited to get it popping with Book (Devin Booker), and to create that winning culture that we figured out down here in Houston.”

Selected with the second pick in the 2021 draft, Green represented the first step in the Rockets’ rebuilding process after trading James Harden. He went through a lot of losing during his first two years in Houston, but things turned around in 2023 when Ime Udoka was hired as head coach and Brooks and Fred VanVleet were brought in to change the culture. Green reflected on the growing process that led to a 52-win season and the second seed in the West.

“My rookie year, we won 20 games. Twen-tee, bro,” he added. “Within three years, we had the Toyota Center packed out for a home playoff game. I’ll always be proud of that. To flip it around like that, it’s about culture. We had our young core, but we also had vets like Fred VanVleet — guys who had really won in this league — showing us the way.”

There’s more from Houston:

Dorian Finney-Smith talked about his decision to sign with the Rockets as a free agent in an interview with WAVY-TV during a recent visit to his hometown of Portsmouth, Virginia (hat tip to Ben DuBose of Rockets Wire). “I already know who they are. They play hard,” Finney-Smith said. “Coach Ime is one of the toughest coaches in the league. I’ve never seen him smile much when you’re playing against him. The first time I’ve ever seen him smile was when we had dinner, like two weeks ago. I like that, because I’m a competitor.” Finney-Smith added that he was planning to remain with the Lakers when the offseason began, but he was swayed by the opportunity in Houston.
Durant hasn’t arrived in Houston yet even though it’s been more than a month since the trade was agreed to, Michael Shapiro of Chron.com writes in a story charting the offseason workouts of Rockets players. Durant has been seen at Fanatics Fest in New York City and the Wireless Festival in London, according to Shapiro, who adds that VanVleet recently made a visit to Turkey to train with Alperen Sengun.
The Rockets’ decision to sign free agent wing Josh Okogie rather than another guard is a sign of confidence in their current backcourt players, especially Reed Sheppard, who will be counted on for a larger role after playing sparingly as a rookie, observes Danielle Lerner of The Houston Chronicle.

Suns Claim Jordan Goodwin Off Waivers

July 23rd, 2025 at 4:09pm CST by Arthur Hill

JULY 24: The Suns issued a press release confirming they’ve claimed Goodwin, Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports tweets.

JULY 23: The Suns have claimed former Lakers guard Jordan Goodwin off waivers, sources tell Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).

Goodwin, 26, was released over the weekend so L.A. could create room below the first apron to sign Marcus Smart with its bi-annual exception. In late June, the Lakers picked up their team option on Goodwin’s $2.35MM contract for the upcoming season, which carries just a $25K guarantee.

Phoenix inherits Goodwin’s full contract via the waiver claim, so L.A. will have the $25K come off its books.

Jordan joined the Lakers on a two-way contract in early February and was converted to a standard deal in late March. He appeared in 29 games, making five starts and averaging 5.6 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 18.7 minutes per night. He also posted .438/.382/.818 shooting numbers.

The move marks a return to Phoenix for Goodwin, who was acquired from Washington two summers ago as part of the Bradley Beal trade. He appeared in 40 games with the Suns during the 2023/24 season before being dealt to Memphis.

Goodwin began his career on a 10-day deal with the Wizards in 2021 and signed a two-way contract the following season.

The addition of Goodwin will give the Suns 14 standard contracts, along with three two-way deals. His contract will remain non-guaranteed, apart from the $25K, until the league-wide guarantee date in January, and he will become an unrestricted free agent next summer.

New Laker Marcus Smart Has ‘Lot Left In The Tank’

July 23rd, 2025 at 10:20am CST by Dana Gauruder

Marcus Smart has only played 54 out of a possible 164 games since the Celtics traded him to Memphis two years ago. Smart, who signed a two-year, $11MM deal with the Lakers on Tuesday after reaching a buyout agreement with the Wizards, believes his injury woes are behind him.

“I still have a lot left in the tank,” Smart said during a Tuesday press conference, as relayed by The Athletic’s Dan Woike.

The Lakers used their bi-annual exception, ESPN’s Dave McMenamin confirms, to sign Smart for more than the veteran’s minimum. Smart calls the last two seasons of his career a “disappointment.”

“I’m very motivated,” Smart said. “The last two years for me was, in my eyes, a disappointment. Injuries kind of stopped me and held me back. But, like I told my wife and my family, everything happens for a reason. And it’s funny that 12 years ago, I could have been here and now it’s full circle and I’m here.”

The Celtics drafted him with the No. 6 overall pick in 2014, one spot before the Lakers — who worked out Smart — chose Julius Randle. Smart is energized by the opportunity to play for a team that he believes can win the championship next season.

“I think we stack right up there with the best of them,” Smart said. “And I think we can [compete]. Our ceiling is high. I think there’s no ceiling. I think if we all lock in and come and do what we’re supposed to do, we can have a real good shot at it.”

Luka Doncic was instrumental in convincing Smart to join the Lakers. Smart is expected to get steady minutes backing up Doncic and Austin Reaves.

“When you get a guy like Luka calling… checking on you, trying to see where you’re at, to see if you want to come join something special that he’s trying to cook up over here,” Smart said. “For him to say that he can really use my help, that meant a lot.”

The Lakers were in need of a perimeter defender and Smart, the league’s Defensive Player of the Year in 2022, fits the bill.

“Just to be me,” Smart said of how he’ll impact the team. “Come in and do what I do and that’s [being] a tenacious defender, just bringing the intensity that I bring, my leadership, my basketball IQ, as well. But just being the pest that I’ve always been.”

Marcus Smart Officially Signs With Lakers

July 22nd, 2025 at 5:35pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Marcus Smart has officially joined the Lakers. The team announced the signing of the veteran guard in a press release.

“Adding a player like Marcus Smart to our roster allows us to compete at the highest level,” Lakers president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka said in the statement. “Marcus epitomizes what it means to prioritize winning above all else – whether that’s making huge plays on the defensive end or hitting critical shots in key moments of the most intense games. He knows and understands playoff winning and will be a key leadership voice in our group.

“Surrounding our stars with two-way players like Marcus is critical to our overall vision of how we want to play and win next season. This is an exciting player acquisition, for sure.”

Smart reached a buyout agreement with the Wizards over the weekend and was placed on waivers. At that time, it was reported that the combo guard had decided to join the Lakers. Smart’s new contract is worth roughly $10.5MM over two years and includes a player option for the second season.

Smart, who gave up $6.8MM of his $21.59MM salary as part of his buyout with Washington, could back up both Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves and will boost his new team with his leadership, ball-handling and defensive prowess.

Smart, 31, has battled health problems over the past two seasons. He was named Defensive Player of the Year with Boston in 2022, but his career took a downturn after a trade to Memphis in the summer of 2023. A wide swath of injuries limited him to 39 total games in a year and a half with the Grizzlies before he was sent to Washington in a three-team deal at this year’s trade deadline.

He appeared in 19 games with Memphis and 15 games with the Wizards last season, averaging 9.0 points, 2.1 rebounds and 3.2 assists in 20 minutes per night with .393/.348/.761 shooting numbers.

Lakers Waive Two-Way Player Trey Jemison

July 21st, 2025 at 4:21pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Lakers have waived two-way player Trey Jemison III, the team announced in a press release (hat tip to Khobi Price of the Orange County Register).

The Lakers have completely revamped their two-way roster. They reportedly are signing Christian Koloko and Chris Manon to fill two of those spots. Jemison held the third and final slot, so the Lakers are now free to sign another player to take his place.

That may have already been determined. The Lakers reportedly agreed to a two-way deal with former Villanova forward Eric Dixon shortly after he went undrafted in June, though the signing isn’t yet official.

Jemison signed a two-year, two-way contract in January. The 25-year-old center had some productive moments in his 22 games with the Lakers, averaging 2.6 points and 2.8 rebounds in 10.3 minutes per night while shooting 61.9% from the field. He also spent time with New Orleans during the 2024/25 season and had brief stints with Washington and Memphis in ’23/24.

Overall, Jemison has 63 games of NBA experience (14 starts), averaging 4.2 points and 3.8 rebounds in 15.3 minutes per game.