Poll: The Lakers’ Point Guard Situation
After the Lakers lost their third straight game last night in Cleveland, falling to 4-8 during Mike D'Antoni's stint as head coach, rumors began to swirl suggesting that the team was thinking about adding another point guard.
The Lakers have a full 15-man roster, including four point guards, but Steve Nash has missed most of the season with a leg injury, and Darius Morris, Chris Duhon, and Steve Blake haven't been productive in his place. One of those players could be let go to make room for a new point guard, though all three are on guaranteed deals. Robert Sacre and Darius Johnson-Odom are the two Lakers whose deals aren't fully guaranteed.
Delonte West is perhaps the top point guard on the free agent market, with Eddie House, Jonny Flynn, and Mike James among the other uninspiring options available. The Lakers' top trade target appears to be Jose Calderon, who seems like a good fit for D'Antoni's system, but the Raptors would reportedly like to package him in a bigger deal if they move him. Los Angeles doesn't exactly have an abundance of trade assets at its disposal, so it's hard to see how the club could land a player with Calderon's talent and salary without turning it into a bigger move anyway.
As Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com tweets, the Lakers are looking for a stopgap rather than a savior, with Nash on track to return in a couple weeks. On one hand, given Nash's timetable, it seems almost counter-productive to add a new point guard to the mix at this point, since by the time he gets familiar with the system, Nash should be ready to come back to the court. Conversely though, at age 38, there's no guarantee Nash will return on schedule and stay healthy for the remainder of the season, so an insurance policy could be crucial.
What do you think? How should the Lakers address their point guard problem? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section after submitting your vote.
What should the Lakers do at point guard?
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Try to make a trade (ie. for Jose Calderon) 40% (307)
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Sign a free agent (ie. Delonte West) 38% (295)
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Stand pat and wait for Steve Nash to return 22% (170)
Total votes: 772
Odds & Ends: Terry, Mayo, Belinelli, Crawford
We heard earlier today that Mavs owner Mark Cuban would have liked to have kept Jason Terry, who signed with the Celtics. Terry said he was disappointed that the first call he fielded this summer wasn't from the Mavs, as Dwain Price of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram details. Cuban also claims that he vetoed a deal former Mavs coach Don Nelson had set up during the 2004/05 season that would have sent Terry to the Jazz for Raul Lopez, Price notes. That one seems far-fetched, but if it's true, you'd have to give Cuban credit for quite a save. Here's the rest from a busy day and night in the NBA.
- O.J. Mayo can opt out of his contract this summer, but Cuban hopes he'll stay with the Mavs even longer than the eight years Terry was around, Price tweets.
- Chris Paul and former Hornets teammate Marco Belinelli are close friends, but Paul didn't recruit Belinelli to join the Clippers this summer because he thought the Bulls would be a better fit for the Italian sharpshooter, as K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune observes (Sulia link).
- The Bulls went hard after Jamal Crawford before last season, but wound up giving the money they had set aside for him to Richard Hamilton instead, according to Johnson (Sulia link).
- Though Raptors GM Bryan Colangelo was telling reporters Monday that coach Dwane Casey's job is not in jeopardy, Mike Ganter of the Toronto Sun wonders whether that will be Colangelo's call to make, surmising everyone in the organization except Jonas Valanciunas shouldn't get too cozy.
- Eric Pincus of the Los Angeles Times corrects his earlier statement about the draft pick the Lakers owe the Suns, detailing the protections on that and other draft picks that will prevent L.A. from drafting in the first round next June.
- Sean Deveney of The Sporting News gauges the early returns on the rookie-scale extensions handed out before the season, and believes Stephen Curry, Jrue Holiday and DeMar DeRozan are the steals of the bunch.
- SB Nation's Tom Ziller goes in depth on the Maloof family dynamics at play as the fate of the Kings, the team they own, hangs in the balance.
Lakers Considering Adding Point Guard
11:43pm: The Lakers’ top target is Jose Calderon, but the Raptors insist on packaging him with others, tweets Stein.
11:29pm: Stein believes the Lakers will also take a look at Mike James and Jonny Flynn, in addition to exploring trades (Twitter link).
10:50pm: The Lakers are thinking about signing Delonte West, reports Marc Stein of ESPN.com. Still, the Lakers will look at other options, though as Stein points out, the team is at the 15-man roster limit. That’s why the Lakers were hesitant to sign Derek Fisher before he went to the Mavs, as L.A. was attemping to trade one of its existing point guards (All Twitter links).
10:19pm: The Lakers have been committed to waiting for Steve Nash to return before making a move, but after a disheartening loss to the Cavs tonight dropped L.A. to 9-13, the Lakers are giving thought to other options at point guard, tweets Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com. Nash expects to be out at least another two weeks, as we heard earlier today, and last week the Lakers announced Steve Blake would undergo surgery on a torn abdominal muscle that was to have kept him out at least another six to eight weeks.
The Lakers have been going with Chris Duhon and Darius Morris at the point, but they combined for just two points and three assists tonight. Free agent options appear to be limited, as the Wizards, also in need of a point guard, took a pass on Ben Uzoh and Blake Ahearn after working out both of them this weekend. Delonte West, Mike Bibby and Eddie House are among some of the more notable names available. Bibby and House have both played for Lakers coach Mike D’Antoni with other teams, but neither saw much time running the offense.
The trade market could be a more fruitful route, particularly once most free agents who signed this summer become eligible to be traded on Saturday. As part of a package that involves Pau Gasol, the Lakers have been linked to Jose Calderon, who acknowledges that he’s on the block. That would represent a drastic move, however, and would probably be overkill if Nash can return later this month. Calderon’s $9.7MM salary figure would prevent anyone from acquiring him unless they were willing to give up a lot, as fellow ESPNLosAngeles.com scribe Arash Markazi points out via Twitter, and the Raptors point man has a 10% trade kicker on top of that. While the Lakers may be exploring their options, the team may simply conclude that it must patiently try to sort out its difficulties until Nash returns.
Latest On Steve Nash
Steve Nash has missed more time than expected following the small break he suffered in his left leg early in November, and it appears it'll be a little while longer before he's back on the court for the Lakers. Nash told David Leon Moore of USA Today that he expects it to be "at least another two weeks" before he can play again, while Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports reports that the veteran point guard is expected to return by month's end.
According to Spears, the delay in Nash's return is partly due to nerve irritation in his left leg. Sources tell Spears that Nash's fractured fibula has healed well, but that the nerve irritation surfaced while he was rehabbing the leg, causing pain whenever he put pressure on it.
Nash's return is of utmost importance for the Lakers, since the team is stuck in a holding pattern of sorts in the meantime. Given Nash's crucial role in Mike D'Antoni's offense, the Lakers have insisted that they won't consider making any major changes to the roster until they see how the team plays with the 38-year-old at the point.
"I'm curious to see how the team gets through the next two or three weeks until Steve gets back," GM Mitch Kupchak told Mark Medina (link via Long Beach Press-Telegram). "Once he gets back, then I'm curious to see how he fits in with everybody."
Pacific Notes: Gortat, Curry, Gasol, Jamison
According to Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel, Suns starting center Marcin Gortat might be becoming "restless" in Phoenix, noting that he has tallied a total of just 50 minutes over the last two games despite not being in foul trouble. While Robbins references a "Polish-language publication" that suggested Gortat would welcome a trade to the Celtics, Bulls, Mavericks, or even back to the Magic, he also mentions that Phoenix hasn't given the impression that they're willing to deal him at this point. With that aside, here's the rest of tonight's tidbits coming from the Pacific Division:
- Arash Markazi of ESPN Los Angeles looks at the success and production of the Clippers' second unit, which has started to gain some popularity with the nickname "A Tribe Called Bench."
- Warriors coach Mark Jackson firmly believes that Stephen Curry is an All-Star based on his performance after 20 games this season. It's hard to disagree, as the 24-year-old Davidson product is averaging 19.7 PPG, 6.5 APG, 1.7 SPG, and nearly 4 RPG for the fifth-seeded team in the Western Conference. Jeff Zillgit of USA Today also mentions that Curry has been worry-free about the ankle problems that had sidelined him for all but 16 games last year.
- Mike D'Antoni hints that Pau Gasol could play on Tuesday if his pain has lessened enough (Mary Schmitt Boyer of the Plain Dealer tweets).
- Compared to his experiences in Cleveland and Washington, 15-year-veteran Antawn Jamison isn't rattled by the Lakers' slow start. As of late, he has been one of the team's most consistent performers, hitting double figure scoring in six of the last eight games: "I'm comfortable, not thinking at all, having fun, competing and doing the things I normally do. So it's a lot easier. I was getting frustrated, but now I'm just out there playing" (Schmitt Boyer reports).
- Mike Monroe of Spurs Nation revisits the 1996 trade that sent then Charlotte-draft pick Kobe Bryant to the Lakers in exchange for Vlade Divac.
- In addition to the Rockets and Nuggets, the Lakers cracked HoopsWorld's list of most surprising teams this season from the Western Conference.
Odds & Ends: D-League, Odom, World Peace
- Lamar Odom is starting to get in shape and is displaying flashes of his old Sixth Man of the Year form, as Elliott Teaford of the Los Angeles Daily News observes.
- The Lakers' decision not to amnesty Metta World Peace before last season is paying off, writes Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News, who adds that this summer's discovery and treatment of a nerve issue that had been bothering World Peace for four years has reinvigorated his play.
- Nuggets guard Ty Lawson admits he can do better than his slumping performance this season, and Benjamin Hochman of the Denver Post outlines what the point guard must do to return to the form that netted him a four-year, $48MM extension in October.
- Despite GM David Kahn's denial of Pau Gasol trade rumors, the Timberwolves "would love" to acquire the big man and play him at center, according to Bob Finnan of The News-Herald.
- Finnan also hears from sources within the ranks of media, agents, assistant coaches, GMs and scouts who tell him they are convinced LeBron James will opt out of his contract in 2014.
- Center Solomon Alabi is close to a deal with a Chinese club, tweets Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports. The 7'1" Alabi was let go by the Hornets at the end of training camp. He spent the last two seasons with the Raptors, but saw little playing time, averaging 1.5 points, 2.3 rebounds and 7.0 minutes a game over 26 total contests.
Latest On Nash, Gasol
ESPNLosAngeles.com's Dave McMenamin has a few updates via Twitter regarding the Lakers' injured starters. He tweets the news from Lakers coach Mike D'Antoni that there is a chance Steve Nash will play for the team on their upcoming road trip.
D'Antoni said it was not definite that the 38-year-old point guard would return in the near future, but that he was far enough along in his recovery that it was a possibility. Nash has not played for the Lakers since their second game of the season, when he suffered a broken leg.
McMenamin also reports (link to tweet) that Pau Gasol will remain the starter at power forward when he returns from his current bout with knee tendinitis. This news comes in spite of the rocky start Gasol is off to with D'Antoni as coach, and the perceived notion that the two were not on the same page. The team was previously considering bringing Gasol off the bench when he returned. It would also point to the recent statements from the team that they do not intend to trade Gasol.
Odds & Ends: Meeks, Lakers, Virginia Beach
In recent years, many NBA players have opted to take their talents to the other side of the Atlantic and sign for bigger bucks overseas. Max Blau of Grantland spoke with several players who have plied their craft in Europe or Asia and found mixed reviews. Guard Chris Douglas-Roberts spent last season in Europe with uncertainty surrounding the NBA season and gave the experience a thumbs up. “I lived in a different culture for a whole year. I met great people from all sides of the world,” Douglas-Roberts said. “I can actually say I lived a year in Italy. Guys from my neighborhood in the west side of Detroit cannot say that." Here's more from around the Association..
- Eric Pincus of the Los Angeles Times notes the radical jump in shooting percentage Lakers offseason signee Jodie Meeks has experienced under new coach Mike D'Antoni. He's connecting on 43.8% of his field goals and 50% of his three-point attempts since D'Antoni took over, but shot just 28.6% from the floor and 22.7% from long distance over his first nine games.
- The budget proposed by Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell doesn't include the $150MM that officials from the City of Virginia Beach were seeking to assist with the construction of a new arena, reports Dale Kasler of the Sacramento Bee. The governor's spokesman said further study is required before the state commits to funding the arena, which would ostensibly become the new home of the Kings.
- When compared to the max contracts of big men such as Brook Lopez, Pau Gasol, and Roy Hibbert, Bulls big man Joakim Noah looks like an especially good value at $12MM, tweets Mark Deeks of ShamSports.
Lakers Notes: Gasol, Nash, Paul
Kobe Bryant had 35 points and seven assists last night, but it wasn’t enough to power the Lakers past the Thunder last night. Here’s a look at the latest on the Lakers as they get set take on the Jazz tomorrow night..
- The Lakers are debating whether to bring Pau Gasol off the bench when he returns from knee tendinitis, a person familiar with the team’s thinking told Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times. The team is trying to weigh how a demotion would affect Gasol and will keep him if the starting lineup if they feel that it would hurt his play. Last night, Steve Nash confirmed that he asked the Lakers not to trade Gasol as a prerequisite for him joining the team.
- There’s panic in L.A. over the Lakers’ 9-10 record, but their poor results have been driven by luck as much as they have by skill, argues John Hollinger of ESPN.com (Insider sub. req’d). The Lakers are just 1-9 in games decided by ten points or fewer, and have gone 8-1 in the others.
- Brian Geltzeiler of Sheridan Hoops looked back at the vetoed blockbuster that would have sent Chris Paul to the other Los Angeles team. The proposed deal would have put Paul alongside Kobe Bryant and shipped Gasol to the Rockets.
Nash Asked Lakers To Keep Gasol Before Signing
On Wednesday, Ric Bucher of 95.7 The Game heard from a source that the Lakers landed Steve Nash this summer by promising him that he would get to play with Pau Gasol. Earlier tonight, the guard confirmed the story in an interview with ESPN’s Doris Burke, tweets Arash Markazi of ESPNLosAngeles.com.
Nash says that he told Lakers brass “If Pau is staying, I want to come.” In essence, Nash turned down offers from the Knicks and passed on the opportunity to return to Canada with the Raptors because he was promised that Gasol would be in Los Angeles. One has to imagine that the Lakers would be reluctant to trade the forward months after promising Nash that he would stay put.
Speaking to the media today, Wolves GM David Kahn told reporters that he hasn’t had any trade talks with the Lakers. Meanwhile, buzz around the league suggests that teams aren’t eager to trade for Gasol and his $19MM salary.