Lakers Notes: Davis, Reaves, Westbrook, Walker
The Lakers‘ problems haven’t gone away, but the team is feeling good after winning three straight games for the first time in nearly a year, writes Jovan Buha of The Athletic. With LeBron James sidelined by an adductor strain, Anthony Davis has delivered three games in a row with at least 30 points and 16 rebounds. He’s “playing out of his mind,” coach Darvin Ham said after the Lakers were plus-34 in Davis’ 28 minutes in Sunday’s win over the Spurs.
Davis has shaken off early-season back issues to become the dominant force that he was when L.A. won the title in 2020. He’s shooting 61.7% from the field during the winning streak while averaging 35.0 points, 17.3 rebounds, 1.3 steals and 1.3 blocks per game.
“Just imposing my will on both sides of the ball, trying to be the dominant player that the team needs me to be,” Davis said. “It’ll usually lead to us winning basketball games or in the fight, so doing everything he’s asking of me, the team is asking of me and just trying to do my part, honestly.”
There’s more on the Lakers:
- Austin Reaves is making a strong case to keep his spot in the starting lineup, Buha adds. Reaves scored 17 points in the first half Sunday and finished with 21, marking the fifth time in the last six games that he has reached double figures. Ham responded, “We’ll see,” when asked if Reaves will remain a starter once James returns.
- Russell Westbrook injured his right thumb on Sunday, tweets Dave McMenamin of ESPN. Westbrook had a wrap on his hand as he left the arena, and Ham said further tests will be conducted Monday. Initial X-rays were negative (Twitter link).
- Lonnie Walker is having his most productive season after signing with the Lakers over the summer, and his former coach isn’t surprised, per Broderick Turner of The Los Angeles Times. Gregg Popovich helped develop Walker during the four years he spent in San Antonio and has watched him figure out the NBA game. “Learn how to play with teammates, understand what solid meant as far as winning and losing. And that takes a little bit of time. And he’s definitely progressed throughout in that regard,” Popovich said. “He continues on that path. He’s done a really good job. Because he always depended just on that athletic ability, it was so ridiculous compared to other people. But now he understands more the mental side of the game with each year that passes, and you can see that in his play.”
Lakers Notes: Davis, Beverley, LeBron, Ham
With LeBron James sidelined, Anthony Davis has put up huge numbers in two straight Lakers wins, writes Jovan Buha of The Athletic. Davis scored 38 points, snagged 16 rebounds and blocked four shots in Friday’s victory over the Pistons, following up a 37-point, 18-rebound effort Sunday against the Nets. Davis is living up to a promise he made to new head coach Darvin Ham before the season began to take on a larger role in the offense.
“I think it’s extremely important,” Ham said. “AD has to be the leading force, the leading charge just in terms of how we want to play inside and outside basketball. … He can carry us through certain segments of the game and, obviously, we see what he does down the stretch.”
Davis scored 16 points in the fourth quarter against Detroit to break open a close game. He also got the Pistons in foul trouble and made 18-of-21 shots from the line — both of those numbers are season highs.
“AD was great in the half-roll tonight out of pick-and-roll,” Ham said. “They doubled teamed him a ton whenever he would isolate in the post or whatever, fronting him and doing different double schemes at him. But he stayed the course and stayed aggressive and 21 free throws. I think that’s wonderful. For him to knock 18 of them down … Just his presence, man. He’s been a big force for us all year and tonight was no different.”
There’s more on the Lakers:
- Davis’ lack of involvement in the offense was among the issues addressed at a film session last Saturday, Buha adds. Team leaders also discussed cutting down on turnovers and fouls, protecting the defensive glass and improving transition defense. Although it was intended as a no-holds-barred meeting, some players still weren’t prepared for Patrick Beverley‘s abrasive style. “The main guy who a lot of us had to get used to for that was Pat,” Davis said. “But he gives good messages. And he said this thing one time, he was like, ‘If I yell, ‘I love you,’ you not gonna get mad, you know what I’m saying?’ So listen to the message and not the tone.”
- James is listed as questionable for Sunday’s game, tweets Dave McMenamin of ESPN. He has missed the past three games with a left adductor strain, but the Lakers’ schedule worked to his advantage as the team had four straight off days this week.
- Kyle Goon of the Orange County Register talked to Ham’s peers in the coaching profession to see why he’s so highly regarded.
Lakers Notes: Davis, Injuries, Beverley, Christie
Off to a 2-10 start in his first season as a head coach, Darvin Ham got some support from Lakers star Anthony Davis after the team’s most recent loss, writes Dave McMenamin of ESPN. Davis, who has been criticized for poor second-half production in recent games, responded with 37 points and 18 rebounds Sunday in a much-needed win over the Nets.
“Had a real good conversation with [Davis] after our last game, our last loss,” Ham said. “And he just said, ‘I got your back, Coach.’ And that was huge for me being a first-time head coach and having a player of that magnitude just constantly try and do everything you ask him to do.”
The Lakers hope Sunday’s performance will help turn their season around after a disastrous start. It was their first victory without LeBron James, who is sidelined with a left adductor strain, and it provides a chance to refocus with four off days coming up.
“We wanted to win tonight, for sure. Let us feel good going into this off week before Friday’s game,” Davis said. “It gives a chance for guys to kind of get away from the game for a couple days and reset and come back with a mentality that we got to run off some [wins] in a row.”
There’s more on the Lakers:
- The break in the schedule gives L.A. a chance to have a fully healthy roster for the first time this season, McMenamin adds. James was listed as doubtful last night, but has a chance to play Friday after a few more days of rest. Dennis Schröder and Thomas Bryant, who are both recovering from thumb surgery, may be ready for their season debuts. They will be reevaluated on Thursday.
- Patrick Beverley welcomed the challenge of starting Sunday’s game by guarding Kevin Durant, tweets Dan Woike of The Los Angeles Times. The Lakers traded for Beverley this offseason to handle their toughest defensive assignments. “That’s how I made my name in the NBA, those matchups,” Beverley said.
- Rookie guard Max Christie saw rotation minutes for the fourth straight game, notes Kyle Goon of The Orange County Register. The second-round pick is mainly in the lineup to handle three-and-D duties while some of his older teammates are injured. “If I have an off game, it’s not the biggest deal because nobody really expected me to contribute anyway,” he said. “So it’s just sort of icing on the cake for me to keep going as hard as I can, but at the same time there’s no pressure on me.”
Lakers Rumors: Trades, Beal, Davis, Westbrook, LeBron, FAs
With the Lakers off to a 2-9 start this season and no signs that a turnaround is imminent, VP of basketball operations Rob Pelinka and the team’s front office face a difficult decision, according to Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report.
As Haynes outlines, the Lakers must decide whether to continue pushing their chips into the middle of the table by making more win-now trades this season or whether they’d be better off waiting until the 2023 offseason to pursue major moves.
Waiting until next summer would mean Russell Westbrook‘s $47MM+ expiring contract would no longer be on the team’s books. It would also put the Lakers in position to trade an additional draft pick, since they could move their 2023 first-rounder (once the Pelicans exercise their swap rights) after the pick has been made.
However, LeBron James has a finite number of high-level seasons left and doesn’t want to waste a year waiting for reinforcements, sources tell Haynes. Other core players on the roster would also prefer the team to make win-now moves, Haynes adds.
As has been reported repeatedly throughout the offseason and into the season, the Lakers don’t want to move their 2027 and 2029 first-round picks in a deal that doesn’t significantly improve their chances of contending for a title. According to Haynes, there’s not a universal belief within the club’s front office that acquiring Myles Turner and Buddy Hield from the Pacers would move the needle to that degree.
Here’s more on the Lakers:
- The Lakers are “known to covet” Bradley Beal, according to Haynes. However, the Wizards guard just signed a five-year contract with the team that includes a full no-trade clause, so he’d have to ask out of Washington for L.A. – or any other team – to have a shot at him.
- As Jovan Buha reported earlier this week, the Lakers aren’t considering trading Anthony Davis, Haynes confirms. However, Haynes hears from sources that the team has received more calls about Russell Westbrook as of late — those talks haven’t advanced beyond the initial stages though.
- LeBron James, who was diagnosed with a left adductor strain, has been ruled out for Friday’s game vs. Sacramento, and Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter video link via The Rally) hears that James is expected to miss Sunday’s game vs. Brooklyn too. After Sunday, the team is off until next Friday.
- In the same video clip, Charania also reports that free agent wings Joe Wieskamp and Tony Snell recently worked out for the Lakers, whose .293 3PT% ranks last in the NBA.
Lakers Notes: Davis, Offseason Additions, Trade Market
Anthony Davis is seeing more minutes at center since Darvin Ham became the Lakers‘ head coach and he’s still trying to get comfortable in that role, writes Kyle Goon of The Orange County Register. After Monday’s game, Davis looked back at L.A.’s last championship season when he was usually on the court with either JaVale McGee or Dwight Howard.
“I think roles just changed a little bit as far as me and positions,” he said. “In ’19/20, I was a roamer where I could be on whoever the forward is and help take everyone. It’s tough for me to do that when I’m guarding the five. Still can do it – still have to do it, find a way to do it.”
Goon notes that the Lakers have been through several centers since then, but none has been as effective. They tried Marc Gasol, Andre Drummond and DeAndre Jordan, and even brought Howard back. Thomas Bryant‘s thumb injury this season and Damian Jones‘ disappointing start have forced Davis to spend most of his time in the middle.
There’s more from Los Angeles:
- A 2-8 start has led to speculation that Davis might be traded, but the Lakers aren’t giving serious consideration to that option, according to Jovan Buha of The Athletic. Buha points out that Davis is seeing the ball less since his switch to center, with a 25.5 usage percentage that’s the lowest since his second NBA season. However, his defense is as good as ever and Buha believes he would be the favorite for Defensive Player of the Year if L.A. had a better record.
- Even though they aren’t winning, a lot of the Lakers’ offseason moves are working out, Buha adds. Lonnie Walker is fourth on the team in scoring and has been worth the investment of the mid-level exception; Troy Brown is starting and has been L.A.’s best 3-and-D option; and Juan Toscano-Anderson has provided energy and defense off the bench. An exception has been Patrick Beverley, who is posting career-low numbers in several offensive categories.
- The Lakers will be “prudent” with their first-round picks in 2027 and 2029, says Shams Charania of The Athletic (video link). With the team not even assured of reaching the playoffs, Charania hears that the front office may only be interested in “marginal” deals, rather than seeking a major trade involving those first-rounders.
Lakers Notes: Trades, Ham, Roster, Davis, James
Are the Lakers holding out for a big move? Howard Beck of Sports Illustrated said on “The Crossover NBA Show” that they’re hoping for a “bigger piece to come loose” in a deal involving Russell Westbrook and their 2027 and 2029 first-round picks (hat tip to Peter Dewey of LakersDaily.com). Beck didn’t reveal the specific player that the front office may be targeting but says it’s not Kyrie Irving or the Pacers’ package of Myles Turner and Buddy Hield.
We have more on the Lakers:
- First-year coach Darvin Ham says there’s not much the front office can do in terms of trades or a free agent signing because of financial constraints and the fact they’ve already used the mid-level exception, (Twitter video link). “Were a tax offender, right? Just can’t go out and start spending money everywhere to build a team,” Ham said. “We have three first-ballot Hall of Famers that a chunk of our budget is being spent on and there’s only so much left.”
- The Lakers’ roster shortcomings are inescapable, Kyle Goon of the Orange County Register notes. They own the worst offense rating in the league and their defense has regressed in recent games. Lonnie Walker IV and Troy Brown are the only newcomers who have made a positive impact, according to Goon, while free agent additions Thomas Bryant and Dennis Schröder haven’t played due to injury.
- Many people around the league are enjoying the Lakers’ front office’s struggles and one executive interviewed by Heavy.com’s Steve Bulpett declared “there’s no more championships” on the horizon. “Look where they are now and tell me when the hell they’re going to have a chance to compete for a championship again,” the executive said.
- Anthony Davis (lower back tightness) and LeBron James (left foot soreness) are listed as probable for Wednesday’s game against the Clippers, Brad Turner of the Los Angeles Times tweets.
Lakers Notes: Irving, Davis, Nunn, James
There’s a possibility that Kyrie Irving might have played his last game as a Net, but don’t assume the Lakers are eager to add LeBron James‘ former Cleveland teammate. Sources told The Athletic’s Sam Amick the Lakers have significant concerns about acquiring Irving at any price and have not been focused on that possibility during the young season.
A report from The Athletic in early October noted that Irving wasn’t in the team’s plans and the latest controversy surrounding him has made it even more implausible.
We have more on the Lakers:
- Making sure Anthony Davis gets enough touches is a priority, Dave McMenamin of ESPN writes. Davis only attempted two shots in the second half of the loss to Cleveland on Sunday. “Obviously, it starts with AD and getting him more touches,” James said. “Our focal point is and always should be to make sure he touches the ball throughout the course of possessions, quarters, halves.”
- Kendrick Nunn opted into the second and final year of his contract during the offseason but he has struggled after missing last season due to a knee injury, Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times points out. Nunn is shooting just 28.6% from the field, including an 0-for-5 outing in 18 minutes against the Cavaliers. “I’m just trying to take the lid off the basket,” Nunn said. “That’s all. That’s it. I got some great looks, just taking that lid off and getting comfortable in my spots, get comfortable seeing where they are coming from. I’ll be good.”
- The Lakers have lost seven of their first nine games and James says their record is deserved, Jovan Buha of The Athletic writes. “I’m a guy who stays in the moment and we are who we are,” James said. “We have to get better and compete every night — which we’ve done. We’ve competed. This ball club has definitely competed. But we’ve, for the majority, we just hit a wall at one point and it’s hard for us to recover after that.”
- James might finally be showing his age, which is why a trade to assist him and Davis may still not catapult the team into contention, Eric Pincus opines in a Bleacher Report story.
LeBron James Out Monday With Left Foot Soreness
Superstar forward LeBron James has been ruled out for Monday’s game at Utah due to left foot soreness, the Lakers announced (Twitter link via Marc Stein).
In addition to James, starting guards Patrick Beverley and Lonnie Walker have been ruled out Monday, as both are dealing with non-COVID illnesses. Big man Anthony Davis (lower back) is listed as probable on the second of a back-to-back after Sunday’s loss to Cleveland, so at least that’s a positive development.
While this is James’ first missed game of the 2022/23 season, he has been dealing with the foot soreness for a few weeks and said a stomach virus was affecting him all of last week.
“I lost my rhythm when I kinda got this bug,” he said. “Not only the threes, but a couple of layups have been short around the rim. Just feel like my rhythm has been off. Haven’t had an opportunity to get on the practice floor because I’ve been kinda told – not just told to stay away but advised to stay away to save my energy for the games.”
In his 20th NBA season, James is averaging 24.3 points, 8.9 rebounds, 7.1 assists and 1.0 steal through nine games (36.1 minutes per night). However, his shooting line of .447/.210/.682 (.506 true shooting percentage) is well short of his career slash line (.504/.345/.734, .587 TS%), so clearly he hasn’t been himself early on.
After dropping Sunday’s game to the Cavs, the Lakers currently sit with a 2-7 record and are facing the surprising 8-3 Jazz. Utah just beat the Lakers in Los Angeles on Friday, so it will be a tall order for the Lakers to even the season series with three starters — including their best player — out tonight.
Pacific Notes: Davis, LeBron, Irving, Wall, Suns
Lakers stars Anthony Davis and LeBron James were told to skip Friday morning’s shootaround, but the health issues for both players appear to be easing up, writes Kyle Goon of The Orange County Register. Coach Darvin Ham plans to have Davis and James in the lineup for both games of the back-to-back Sunday and Monday against the Cavaliers and Jazz.
Davis played nearly 35 minutes Friday despite a lingering back issue that has already caused him to miss a game. He said it felt “pretty good,” and the Lakers believe he’s not risking further damage by playing. James saw 34 minutes of action Friday despite a stomach virus that has been bothering him all week.
“I lost my rhythm when I kinda got this bug,” he said. “Not only the threes, but a couple of layups have been short around the rim. Just feel like my rhythm has been off. Haven’t had an opportunity to get on the practice floor because I’ve been kinda told – not just told to stay away but advised to stay away to save my energy for the games.”
There’s more from the Pacific Division:
- Kyrie Irving‘s latest controversy is a reminder that the Lakers were fortunate not to get him when they were shopping Russell Westbrook, contends Mirjam Swanson of The Orange County Register. She points out that Westbrook is doing everything the coaches have asked, including adapting to a bench role, while Irving continues to destroy the Nets‘ culture.
- Clippers guard John Wall bounced back strong on Friday night after his revenge game in Houston fizzled out, per Andrew Greif of The Los Angeles Times. Wall admits to being angry that he only played a season-low 15 minutes against the Rockets, who kept him sidelined for all of last season, but he recognizes that it’s bad for the team if he decides to be selfish. “I knew I had to get back to being myself, being the guy this team needs if I’m playing 15 or 24 minutes,” Wall said. “It is what it is. You have to accept that and come with the sacrifice of what this team with different guys got to take and make it on this team.”
- In the wake of Cameron Johnson‘s possible meniscus tear and Jae Crowder‘s continued absence, Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports identifies some possible trade targets for the Suns to consider. He points to the Wizards’ Kyle Kuzma, the Bucks’ Grayson Allen, the Celtics’ Derrick White, the Raptors’ Thaddeus Young, the Clippers’ Nicolas Batum, the Spurs’ Josh Richardson and Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen as players who might be available in a Crowder deal.
Injury Notes: Butler, AD, FVV, Porter, Grimes
Jimmy Butler has been ruled out for Wednesday’s game vs. Sacramento due to hip tightness, the Heat announced (via Twitter). It will be Butler’s first missed game of the 2022/23 season after being sidelined for 25 contests last season.
The injury doesn’t sound very serious and the Heat are likely just being cautious with their star forward on the second night of a back-to-back, with Butler helping lead a comeback victory over the Warriors on Tuesday. The 33-year-old is averaging 21.5 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 5.5 APG and 1.5 SPG on .470/.391/.873 shooting through eight games (35.5 MPG) for the 3-5 Heat.
Here are some more injury-related notes from around the NBA:
- Anthony Davis is determined to play through his lingering lower back pain, writes Kyle Goon of The Southern California News Group. Davis was clearly wincing at various moments during the Lakers‘ first win of the season against Denver on Sunday, and head coach Darvin Ham said he asked the star big man if he needed to leave the game. “I gestured, ‘Do you need a break?’ And he was like, ‘Nah.’ He waved me off,” Ham said. “He wants to dispel that myth that he’s never available. He’s had some unfortunate injuries over the last couple of years, but I can tell you right now, man, he’s been nothing short of monstrous since I’ve shown up.” Davis will play Wednesday against the Pelicans after previously being listed as questionable, sources tell Chris Haynes of TNT (Twitter link). Ham confirmed the news to reporters, Goon tweets.
- Like Davis, Raptors guard Fred VanVleet is also dealing with lower back soreness, and will miss his second consecutive game on Wednesday vs. the Spurs. On the positive side for the Raptors, free agent addition Otto Porter is available for the first time this season after dealing with a hamstring injury and then being away from the team for the birth of his daughter (Twitter links via Josh Lewenberg and Kayla Grey of TSN Sports).
- Second-year guard Quentin Grimes, who has been sidelined with a sore left foot to open 2022/23, is available to make his regular season debut for Wednesday’s against the Hawks, the Knicks announced (via Twitter). Head coach Tom Thibodeau told reporters that Grimes wouldn’t have a minutes restriction, but said his use would be “situational” while he attempts to rebuild his conditioning after appearing in just one preseason game (Twitter links via Fred Katz of The Athletic and Ian Begley of SNY.tv). New York leads Atlanta 65-57 at halftime, but Grimes has yet to play.