Assistant GM Resigns
- Lakers assistant GM Glenn Carraro has resigned, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical (Twitter link). Carraro has been with Los Angeles since 2000.
Jeanie Buss To Keep Team Control
Rob Pelinka’s deal with the Lakers is for five years and it’s worth over $20MM, according to Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com (h/t RealGM). Los Angeles hired Pelinka to be the team’s GM last month. Windhorst adds that lucrative deals are becoming typical for high-ranking members of teams’ front offices.
- A judge ruled that Jeanie Buss will retain controlling ownership of the Lakers, according to Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.com (ESPN Now Link). It was previously reported that Jim and Johnny Buss would try to take over control of the team.
Lakers Shut Down Nick Young
Nick Young has become the latest Lakers veteran to be shut down for the season, according to Mark Medina of The Los Angeles Daily News.
Young has been held out of 11 of the past 12 games even though he’s healthy, so the move isn’t a surprise. But the Lakers have decided to make it official, saying the 31-year-old shooting guard won’t play again outside of an emergency. A source said Young might be used in case of an unexpected injury, but the team doesn’t expect that to happen.
Young was one of the pleasant surprises of L.A’s preseason, winning a starting job after a summer filled with rumors that he might be traded or released. Young played 60 games, all starts, and averaged 13.2 points per night.
Russell Learning To Make In-Game Adjustments
- Of all the things that D’Angelo Russell has improved upon in his second season, one of note is his ability to make in-game adjustments. “He’s done a good job, whether he’s making bad plays with that or missing shots, with still helping our team,” Lakers head coach Luke Walton told Mark Medina of the Orange County Register. “That is a huge step forward. It’s important you can bounce back within the game.”
Pacific Notes: Kings’ Rookies, Booker, Nwaba, Ulis
While the Kings have dropped out of playoff contention, Dave Joerger will still seek to build the talent and IQ of his younger players. As Joerger acknowledged in a recent post-game press conference, ensuring proper player development is a large part of his job.
“Having been there with those guys (in Memphis) I felt a great deal of responsibility to maximize every win that we could get,” Joerger told reporters, including Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee. “That’s where are these gray hairs popped out. Now the gray hairs are (from) are you playing the right guys with the right group, developing guys, giving them the right experiences?”
Joerger has given valuable playing opportunities to rookies down the stretch; providing Skal Labissiere, Buddy Hield, and Georgios Papagiannis with multiple 20+ minute games over the past week.
More from the Pacific…
- The Suns are tanking “with spirit,” Dan Bickley of AZCentral.com writes. What’s more, Bickley points out Devin Booker‘s 70-point game as proof that he’s Phoenix’s next franchise player. “The Suns should feel blessed,” Bickley wrote. “They’ve lost 60 or more games only once in their storied history, and that was their expansion season in 1968-69. The organization’s commitment to losing is so sturdy and hardcore that they could conceivably end the current season with 60 losses and a 16-game losing streak, and somehow, the season will be perceived as a smashing success.”
- Lakers rookie David Nwaba will be assigned to the L.A. D-Fenders to boost their D-League playoff run (source: Mark Medina, L.A. Daily News). Nwaba has been a pleasant surprise in Luke Walton‘s rotation, averaging 7.8 points with 5.5 rebounds over his last four games. Nwaba, who appeared in 40 games for the D-Fenders this season, figures to receive a considerable workload during the D-League postseason.
- The Suns want Tyler Ulis to shoot more, Doug Haller of AZCentral.com writes. Haller relays an amusing anecdote, in which coach Earl Watson shouted “Shoot it!” at Ulis during Tuesday’s match-up with the Hawks. “He’s very talented,” veteran guard Ronnie Price said of Ulis. “He has a chance to have a long career in the league. He has a lot to his game that people are starting to see, so for him, it’s just getting comfortable and keeping him confident. As a team we all trust him. We all know what he’s capable of doing, but we can’t have him second-guessing himself with shots.”
Lakers’ Ivica Zubac Out For Rest Of Season
The Lakers recently shut down multiple veteran players in order to get a longer look at their young contributors as the season nears an end. Now, one of those young players will miss the rest of the year too. According to a press release issued today by the Lakers, rookie big man Ivica Zubac sustained a high ankle sprain in his right ankle and won’t return to the court this season. He’ll be re-evaluated in two weeks, per the team.
Zubac, who suffered the injury early in Thursday night’s loss to Minnesota, appeared in 38 games for the Lakers in his rookie season, and flashed some promise. For the year, the 2016 second-rounder averaged 7.5 PPG, 4.2 RPG, and 0.9 BPG in 16.0 minutes per contest.
The Lakers, having shut down veterans Nick Young, Luol Deng, and Timofey Mozgov, have some options as they look to make up Zubac’s minutes. Tarik Black, Thomas Robinson, and Larry Nance Jr. are among the players who could see their roles increase over the final two weeks of the season.
Nick Young Undecided On Player Option
Veteran guard Nick Young isn’t expected to see much – if any – playing time down the stretch this season, as the Lakers take a closer look at several of their younger players. However, Young enjoyed a bounce-back season in 2016/17, putting him in an interesting situation this summer as he decides whether or not to opt in for the final year of his contract.
Back in the fall, it was no sure thing that Young would even be a Laker this season. Coming off the worst season of his career, in which he averaged just 7.3 PPG and shot a dismal 33.9% from the field, Young was considered a candidate to be traded or released. Instead, he stuck with the Lakers and bumped his numbers up to 13.2 PPG and a .430 FG% — both marks are better than his career averages.
“I got a chance to play and show Nick Young again after going through everything I went through,” Young said this week, per Mark Medina of The Orange County Register. “That’s the best part of everything, being able to play. You think you won’t be in the league last year. Then you start 60 games.”
Heading into the offseason with the opportunity to become a free agent after boosting his stock this year, Young would certainly be justified in turning down his $5.67MM player option in search of a more lucrative deal. With the salary cap set to exceed $100MM, Young’s player option salary would be modest for a productive rotation piece, and players of his caliber easily exceeded that figure in free agency a year ago — the contracts signed by teammates Luol Deng and Timofey Mozgov are two arguments in favor of Young opting out.
Still, Young and his agent Mark Bartelstein say that decision hasn’t been made yet, according to Medina. Although Young suggested with a smile that he’d be a “wanted man” this summer, he also pointed out that he loves playing in his hometown, near his family. If the Lakers indicate that they won’t be willing to engage in a bidding war to retain him if he declines his player option, opting in might be his only chance to remain in L.A.
“It’s tough. There’s new management and you don’t know what’s going to happen,” Young said. “The Lakers are going to do something this offseason, of course. So we’ll wait and see what their options are.”
Young has until June 21 to opt in or out, so he still has some time to weigh his own options before making his decision official.
Draft Notes: Ball, Fox, Chartouny, Jones
Lonzo Ball recently appeared on ESPN’s First Take and told the cast that he would be happy to play for any franchise, as Andrew Joseph of For The Win relays.
“At the end of the day, I’ll play for any team,” Ball said. “NBA is NBA. It would be a blessing to be able to play for the Lakers just because it’s in LA — I’m from here, my whole family’s here.”
Ball’s father, LaVar Ball, previously said he wanted his son to play for Los Angeles. “All I said was that my boy is going to play for the Lakers, and I’m going to speak it into existence,” the elder Ball said last month.
Here’s more on the upcoming draft:
- Lonzo Ball said he was a better prospect than Markelle Fultz, as ESPN.com passes along. “Markelle’s a great player, but I feel I’m better than him,” said Ball. “I think I can lead a team better than him.” The two guards are expected to be the first players to come off the board on draft night.
- After an impressive NCAA Tournament run, De’Aaron Fox‘s stock may be on the rise. Evan Daniels of Scouts.com tweets that the point guard has been a “major topic of conversation” amongst NBA executives.
- Joseph Chartouny of Fordham has declared for the NBA Draft, Mike Watts of USL reports (Twitter link). The point guard has not hired an agent, so he could still decide to head back to school. The 22-year-old is not ranked in Draft Express’ Top-100.
- Andrew Jones from Texas University has declared for the draft, but will not sign an agent, Jeff Goodman of ESPN.com tweets. Jones is currently No. 47 in Draft Express’ Top-100.
Los Angeles Notes: Robinson, World Peace, Clippers
Lakers power forward Thomas Robinson was no lock to make the team’s 15-man roster back in October, but he earned a spot out of training camp and has now earned an increased role as the team’s season nears an end, writes Mark Medina of The Orange County Register. Although Robinson’s stats aren’t eye-popping, his .534 FG% is easily a career best, and his per-minute numbers are also among the strongest of his career.
Head coach Luke Walton, who calls Robinson “one of our hardest workers,” has played an instrumental role in getting the most out of the former fifth overall pick, and Walton’s impact is one reason why Robinson wants to stick in Los Angeles when he reaches free agency this summer. According to Medina, Robinson says he’ll “do anything possible” he can to stay a Laker.
Here are a few more notes on the two Los Angeles teams:
- Like Robinson, Metta World Peace got a one-year, non-guaranteed deal from the Lakers last offseason and wasn’t assured a season-long roster spot. However, he has remained with the team too, and the veteran forward has been a leader in the locker room this season despite playing limited minutes, says Tania Ganguli of The Los Angeles Times.
- The Clippers‘ five core players are in their fourth season together, and they recognize their window for making a deep postseason run may not be open for much longer. As Mike DiGiovanna of The Los Angeles Times details, three of those core players – Blake Griffin, Chris Paul, and J.J. Redick – will be free agents this summer, and Jamal Crawford suggests the team is getting “impatient” to make its mark in the postseason.
- With free agency looming for some key Clippers players, Mark Whicker of The Orange County Register wonders if we may be nearing the end of an era for the club.
Lakers Notes: Silver, Buss Fallout, Upcoming Draft
NBA commissioner Adam Silver echoed the sentiments of Lakers fans, telling Ramona Shelburne of ESPN that he is “pleased that this matter [Buss family struggle for ownership] has been resolved.” Earlier today, Jeanie Buss and her brothers, Jim and Johnny, agreed that Jeanie would serve as controlling owner, and on the team’s board of directors as long as the family owns the franchise.
Silver continued, lauding Jeanie as a logical choice to lead the team.
“Jeanie is as knowledgeable and experienced as any owner in sports and the Lakers are in great hands,” said Silver (Twitter link).
More from the Lakers…
- Bill Plaschke of the L.A. Times discussed the Lakers’ strategy now that Jeanie Buss has been confirmed as the team’s head of operations. “This is also where Jeanie Buss will first show her basketball grit,” Plaschke writes. “Is she willing to sign off on the trading of some of the recent high draft picks who everyone thought would be saviors? It’s clear that D’Angelo Russell would be better off elsewhere, and Julius Randle may have more value in a trade, and maybe even Brandon Ingram should not be safe.” Plaschke also wonders if Jeanie would pass on Lonzo Ball in the draft; an “obvious and popular choice,” in favor of Josh Jackson, Markelle Fultz, or De’Aaron Fox.
- Mark Heisler of the O.C. Register reflected on Shaquille O’Neal’s legacy- Shaq’s statue was unveiled last week- before musing on the Lakers’ future. While Magic Johnson seems to think highly of Lonzo Ball- attending his Sweet 16 loss over Shaq’s ceremony- Heisler wonders if Ball’s stock has been diminished in the tournament. Josh Jackson of Kansas, Heisler writes, may have become the consensus No. 2 pick in the upcoming draft with his March Madness performance. “Ball is hard to project, even aside from his defense, which everyone knows is a problem,” Heisler writes. “Gifted young playmaker that he is, a UCLA insider told me he had been trying to figure out how much of what made him great at that level would apply in the pros.”