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“Deepening Disconnect” Between Darvin Ham, Lakers Players

January 4th, 2024 at 10:55am CST by Arthur Hill

Darvin Ham‘s frequent lineup changes have led to a “deepening disconnect” between the Lakers coach and his players, according to Shams Charania and Jovan Buha of The Athletic.

Six sources with direct knowledge of the situation spoke to the authors about a “disjointedness” that has arisen as Ham has adjusted roles of various players to try to shake the team out of its current slide. L.A. is 3-9 since winning the in-season tournament and has fallen to 10th in the West with a 17-18 record.

Ham used his 10th different starting lineup of the season in Wednesday night’s loss to Miami, making Austin Reaves a starter again in place of the injured Rui Hachimura. Sources tell Charania and Buha that the changes have led to “a fluctuating rhythm” for several players. The authors add that the adjustments have prevented the team from establishing any continuity or determining its best lineup combinations.

After Wednesday’s game, Ham said injury problems are responsible for his frequent changes. Cam Reddish has been in and out of the lineup due to a groin issue, Hachimura is sidelined with a Grade 1 left calf strain and D’Angelo Russell sat out his second straight game with a bruised tailbone.

Ham also suggested that the Heat, who were playing without Jimmy Butler, were in a better position than the Lakers.

“I think the multiple (rotation players) are more impactful than … if you lose one of your big dogs, you’re going to figure out how to try and manage without them,” Ham said. “… And when you have your key role players, your key rotation players – this guy misses three or four. This guy misses three or four. And they’re happening one right after another, that’s what makes it difficult. … We’ve got to figure it out. I’m disappointed, but I’ll be damned if I get discouraged.”

L.A. held a team meeting after Wednesday’s loss, Charania and Buha add, and many of the players were gone by the time the media were admitted to the locker room. Among those who talked to reporters, Reaves and Anthony Davis both emphasized that injuries are no excuse for losing, which the authors note is part of the disconnect between Ham and his players.

Ham has two full seasons beyond this one remaining on his four-year contract, so the Lakers will likely be reluctant to make a coaching change. He has also shown an ability to overcome adversity, leading the team to the Western Conference Finals after a 2-10 start to last season. However, Charania and Buha write that “time is of the essence” for L.A. to start winning and “patience is beginning to run thin.”

Lakers Notes: Starting Lineup, Reaves, Hachimura, Russell, LaVine

January 4th, 2024 at 8:58am CST by Arthur Hill

Injuries forced Lakers coach Darvin Ham to try another new starting lineup Wednesday night, but nothing seemed to click in a home loss to Miami, writes Dave McMenamin of ESPN. Cam Reddish returned from his groin injury, but Rui Hachimura is sidelined with a Grade 1 left calf strain and D’Angelo Russell missed his second straight game with a bruised tailbone.

“We can’t find any consistency until we get healthy. It’s as simple as that. We’ve got to get healthy,” Ham said. “When you’re dealing with different guys being in and out of the lineup that frequently, it’s damn near impossible to find a rhythm. That’s just being real.”

McMenamin observes that L.A.’s starting five of Reddish, LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Taurean Prince and Austin Reaves looked “disjointed” on offense and “disconnected” on defense. The Lakers committed 10 turnovers and shot 6-of-18 from the floor in the first quarter as the Heat built a double-digit lead. They closed the game by allowing 38 points in the final quarter.

“It’s a little bit of everything right now,” said Ham, whose team is on a 2-8 stretch and has fallen below .500. “We’re not executing. That team played harder than us tonight, executed better than us tonight, more physical than us tonight. We got outworked tonight, so it’s a bit of everything right now. If we keep on this train, it’s not going to be good for us.”

Ham added that once everyone is healthy, he might go back to starting Russell alongside James, Davis, Reaves and Vanderbilt, which is the lineup that sparked the team’s playoff run last season.

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Reaves contributed 24 points and eight assists while being used as a starter for the first time in weeks, but it’s not clear how long that role will last, McMenamin adds. Reaves told reporters that the team’s “vibe” is off, then later clarified his remarks. “When I say the vibe is off, it’s not like we don’t like each other,” he said. “It’s we’re losing. … But I don’t want to get that twisted on us not liking each other. Everybody in the locker room gets along.”
Ham said Hachimura underwent an MRI and is “pretty much day to day,” McMenamin tweets. Russell is also considered day to day as Ham said he has “soreness that he’s trying to work through.” (Twitter link)
Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today is the latest reporter to list Bulls guard Zach LaVine as a possibility for the Lakers. Sources still consider that move unlikely, according to Kurt Helin of NBC Sports, but he notes that the team’s recent slide could raise pressure on general manager Rob Pelinka to shake up the roster.

Pacific Notes: Booker, Vogel, Ishbia, Murray, James

December 26th, 2023 at 9:15pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Devin Booker says head coach Frank Vogel and the team’s leaders share the responsibility of turning the Suns’ fortunes around, Erin Walsh of Bleacher Report relays.

“We just have to get it together,” Booker said. “And that’s on me. That’s on Coach. That’s on KD, Eric (Gordon), all the leaders that we have in here to make sure that we’re more prepared when we come play.”

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported this week that Kevin Durant has grown increasingly frustrated with the team’s mediocre play.

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Suns owner Mat Ishbia has been very proactive in making moves since acquiring the franchise toward the end of last season. However, Vogel said Ishbia has offered words of encouragement through the team’s struggles, according to Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic. “He’s been incredibly supportive,” Vogel said. “Talks through every game with me. Has a great knowledge of the game of basketball. We have a ton of discussions about the teams that we’re playing, the thing we’re doing on the floor and what the results look like. Those conversations have been very productive and supportive.”
Hawks guard Dejounte Murray is worth keeping an eye on as a potential trade target for the Lakers, The Athletic’s Shams Charania said on FanDuel TV’s Run It Back show (video link). Charania notes that “the Hawks’ direction, of course, it’s in flux.” Murray’s four-year, $111MM+ contract extension kicks in next season but Charania notes that contract is favorable compared to that of Zach LaVine, another player who’s been linked to the Lakers. Austin Reaves would be a target for rival GMs, but the Lakers have shown no inclination of moving their talented young guard, Charania adds.
LeBron James now holds the NBA scoring record. So what other major milestones could he shoot for? Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated writes that James could reach the 40,000-point mark. With three more healthy seasons, the Lakers superstar could also overtake Robert Parish for the all-time record in games played (1,611).

Pacific Notes: Comanche, Ellis, Warriors, Lakers

December 16th, 2023 at 12:03pm CST by Tristan Tucker

Center Chance Comanche, who had been playing for the Kings‘ G League affiliate in Stockton, was released by the team on Friday after he was arrested as a person of interest in an out-of-state FBI investigation, Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee reports.

According to Anderson, the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office helped the FBI apprehend Comanche, who is being held without bail in the county’s main jail. Jail records show Comanche’s felony arrest fell under a California penal code provision allowing peace officers to arrest a person “charged by a verified complaint… with the commission of any crime in any other state.”

His first appearance before a judge is scheduled for 3 p.m. Tuesday in Sacramento Superior Court, per Anderson. It’s not clear what charges he faces in another state or where in Sacramento County he was apprehended.

Comanche played in one game for the Trail Blazers last season, which was his lone NBA appearance to date. He signed with the Kings this summer on an Exhibit 10 contract before being waived ahead of the season.

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Two-way wing Keon Ellis had his best game in a Kings uniform on Friday against the Thunder, writes The Athletic’s Hunter Patterson. Ellis scored 17 points, hitting five of his seven three-point attempts, and added six rebounds and three assists. “Keon was big. He’s been big ever since we gave him minutes,” head coach Mike Brown said. “He just doesn’t seem to get rattled out there. … We have faith or confidence — or however you want to call it — in him, especially when his feet are set and he’s shooting wide open catch-and-shoot 3s. Heck of a game from him on both ends of the floor. He could’ve easily gotten the Defensive Player of the Game [crown].” Ellis is averaging 4.5 points in 16 games (two starts) on a two-way contract.
Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. was adamant the next 15-20 games, many of which will be played without Draymond Green, will impact the direction the team takes at the trade deadline. The Athletic’s Anthony Slater explores what that span of time could look like, writing the team could continue to rely on younger players, such as Trayce Jackson-Davis, in the short term.
The Lakers are 13-5 in their last 18 games and have multiple players performing at a high level. Outside of the usual star-level play from LeBron James and Anthony Davis, Austin Reaves is establishing Sixth Man of the Year candidacy, Cam Reddish is announcing himself as a top-level defender and players like Jarred Vanderbilt and Gabe Vincent will soon return to the lineup, The Ringer’s Seerat Sohi writes. Still, the Lakers have room to improve on offense and Sohi explores what the team needs to do between now and the trade deadline.

Lakers Notes: James, Davis, Tourney Payout, Injury Report

December 12th, 2023 at 6:45pm CST by Dana Gauruder

LeBron James and Anthony Davis reaffirmed their top-10 status among the league’s players during the Lakers’ run to the in-season tournament championship, Jovan Buha of The Athletic writes.

The tournament also gave the team a blueprint for how to be most effective in the postseason — utilizing one skill guard (Austin Reaves or D’Angelo Russell) and multiple wings next to Davis and/or James.

However, James doesn’t want to think too far ahead.

“We want to put it in perspective that it’s still December. We like where we are right now but we want to continue to work our habits, continue to get healthy as well. But I think right now where we are in December, I would take it,” he said.

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James is energized by the growth the team showed during the tournament, Khobi Price of the Orange County Register notes. Los Angeles won all seven tournament games by an average margin of 19.3 points. “Every moment we grew,” James said. “Guys have felt a lot more comfortable in their roles. We’ve had a pretty good understanding of rotations. You know who you’re going to be playing with and you know what you guys want to do out on the floor.”
While $500K — the bonus given to the players on the 15-man roster for winning the tourney — might not be a big financial boost for the team’s stars, it was a boon for some of their young players and minimum salary vets, Marc J. Spears of Andscape notes. Rookie forward Maxwell Lewis, who has a $1.1MM salary, is grateful those stars recognized that. “Obviously, [James] doesn’t need it. Just him wanting to do it and helping us out because we’re the young guys is a blessing … What I learned about this environment is that when money is on the line, it is much more serious,” Lewis said.
James (calf) and Davis (adductor) were listed as questionable against Dallas tonight but they’ll play, Price tweets. However, Jarred Vanderbilt (back spasm) will sit out. Rui Hachimura is also available despite a nasal fracture, Grant Afseth of DallasBasketball.com tweets.

LeBron James Named MVP As Lakers Win NBA’s First In-Season Tournament

December 9th, 2023 at 10:29pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Lakers pulled away from the Pacers Saturday night in Las Vegas to finish the in-season tournament unbeaten and claim the first-ever NBA Cup.

LeBron James was named tournament MVP after posting 24 points, 11 rebounds and four assists as L.A. secured a 123-109 victory in the title game. Anthony Davis was the night’s biggest star with 41 points, 20 rebounds and five assists, while Austin Reaves contributed 28 points.

James was the MVP choice of 14 of the 20 writers who voted (Twitter link from NBA Communications). Davis got five votes, and one went to Indiana’s Tyrese Haliburton.

At the post-game press conference, James said the Lakers showed growth as a team throughout the tournament (video link from Khobi Price of The Orange County Register).

“I feel like guys have felt a lot more comfortable in their roles,” he said. “We’ve had a pretty good understanding of rotations, who we’re going to be playing with, what guys want to do out on the floor. Like AD said, getting (Jarred Vanderbilt) back, getting Rui (Hachimura) back has definitely helped our size. Getting Cam (Reddish) back has helped us out a lot.”

Apart from two games with the Suns, the Lakers weren’t really tested as they posted a 7-0 record in tournament play. Assigned to West Group A, they began with a three-point win at Phoenix on November 10, then followed with comfortable victories over Memphis, Portland and Utah.

Knockout play began Tuesday with another three-point victory over the Suns, followed by a 44-point blowout of the Pelicans in Thursday’s semifinals.

Indiana suffered its first loss of the tournament after advancing out of East Group A, then upsetting the Celtics and Bucks in knockout games.

“We just got outplayed tonight from the start of the game to the end of the game,” Haliburton said (Twitter link from Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star). They just outplayed us.”

Lakers Notes: Tournament, Reaves, LeBron, Uniforms

December 6th, 2023 at 8:44pm CST by Arthur Hill

D’Angelo Russell called it “playoff intensity” as the Lakers hung on for a dramatic win against Phoenix on Tuesday night that gave them a trip to Las Vegas for the in-season tournament semifinals, writes Khobi Price of The Orange County Register. The game was noticeably competitive throughout, and any concerns that players and fans wouldn’t respond to the NBA’s new experiment seemed to be put to rest.

“You got some of the most alpha-male competitors in the world, and if you give us an opportunity to play for something meaningful with an incentive, then you’ll get what you’re getting,” LeBron James said at a post-game press conference alongside Anthony Davis. “And I know the competitive nature in myself, and the competitive nature of this guy next to me, and our DNA that we’re trying to build for this team. The in-season tournament is what it is, and we have an opportunity to play on a big stage, be on national television, be able to represent our families and represent our cities and communities, where we come from.”

L.A. also defeated the Suns in group play, but had an otherwise soft path to the quarterfinals with the lowly Grizzlies, Trail Blazers and Jazz making up the rest of West Group A. There was nothing easy about Tuesday’s matchup, which wasn’t decided until Kevin Durant missed a three-pointer at the buzzer, and Lakers coach Darvin Ham savored the experience.

“It makes it really exciting,” he said. “And so exciting that we can’t wait to conquer it. Pretty simply put.”

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Austin Reaves added to his legacy of clutch shots, sinking a huge three-pointer late in the game to stave off a Suns rally, per Broderick Turner of The Los Angeles Times. Reaves’ propensity to deliver in big situations is one of the reasons the Lakers signed him to a long-term deal during the offseason. “Man, Austin is a big-time player,” Ham said. “It’s the reason we wanted him here for the present and the future. Everybody saw what he did to finish last year, what he did for Team USA. He has just grown, grown and grown and he thrives in those moments, those big moments.”
At a media session today in Las Vegas, James reiterated his desire to eventually own an NBA team in the city, Price tweets. James discussed the area’s growing sports culture, adding, “Hopefully I can bring my franchise here someday.”
The NBA won’t allow the Lakers to wear their “city edition” uniforms for Thursday’s semifinal, according to Dave McMenamin of ESPN. L.A. went 3-0 during the tournament in the black ensemble, but the league has mandated gold “icon” uniforms for the matchup with New Orleans, which will wear its white “association” look. A source tells McMenamin that the NBA office has concerns about the contrast between the jerseys and the specialized court being used for the game.

And-Ones: Bronny James, Ndongo, Reaves, Messina

December 4th, 2023 at 10:02am CST by Arthur Hill

Bronny James‘ debut with USC could happen as early as Sunday in a home game against Long Beach State, according to Seth Davis of The Messenger Sports.

The son of Lakers star LeBron James recently received medical clearance from his doctor for a full return to basketball after suffering cardiac arrest in July. He still has to be cleared by the school’s medical staff, Davis adds, but that’s expected to happen sometime this week. If Bronny isn’t ready by Sunday, the next possibility is a December 17 contest against Auburn.

“He’ll have to get in game shape and have full-contact practices and get his timing back before we just throw him into a college basketball game,” Trojans coach Andy Enfield told Davis. “I’d like it to happen sooner rather than later, but right now I just don’t know.”

Bronny is an important name in NBA circles because he’s considered a potential first-round draft pick, and his father has indicated in the past that he would have an interest in joining the team that selects him. On a more immediate level, LeBron said last week that he would skip a Lakers game to watch his son’s first NCAA contest, but L.A. isn’t scheduled to play either this Sunday or December 17.

Enfield said it’s been an enjoyable experience to watch Bronny overcome the health scare that could have derailed his career.

“It’s a great feeling for sure,” he said. “He’s worked out quite a few times with our coaching staff and is able to go through non-contact workouts. It’s just a matter of giving him time to get into basketball shape and learn our system before he plays in it.”

There’s more from around the basketball world:

Georgia Tech freshman Baye Ndongo got the attention of NBA scouts with his performance in Saturday’s upset of Duke, observes John Hollinger of The Athletic. Ndongo had 21 points and five blocks for the Yellow Jackets and showed NBA potential in his ability to roll to the basket and pass to cutting teammates, according to Hollinger. Although Ndongo is undersized for an NBA center at 6’9″ and 214 pounds, Hollinger notes that he was able to match up effective with Blue Devils’ 7-footer Kyle Filipowski.
Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports takes a look inside the process of quickly scheduling two additional regular season games for the 22 teams that didn’t advance in the in-season tournament. Among the obstacles was figuring out which teams had open arena dates for Wednesday and Friday, which is when all the games will be played.
Lakers guard Austin Reaves has a new arrangement with Chinese sportswear brand Rigorer that will make him a part owner of the company, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic. A new version of Reaves’ signature shoe will hit the market Friday.
Former Spurs assistant Ettore Messina has a contract extension with Milan that will run through the end of the 2025/26 season, according to Eurohoops. The club made the announcement after rumors that a coaching change was imminent.

Lakers Notes: Trade Market, Reaves, Vanderbilt, Hachimura, Vincent

December 2nd, 2023 at 9:44pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Lakers will be patient about assessing potential trades, team sources tell Jovan Buha of The Athletic. Numerous injuries have made it difficult to evaluate the current roster, so the front office will continue to study the type of moves that need to be made and wait to see what opportunities might develop if teams such as the Raptors, Wizards, Jazz, Nets or Hornets decide to have a “fire sale” before the February deadline, according to Buha.

December 15 marks the unofficial start of trade season as most of the free agents who signed this summer will become eligible to be moved. For L.A., that list includes D’Angelo Russell, Gabe Vincent, Taurean Prince, Cam Reddish, Christian Wood and Jaxson Hayes. Rui Hachimura and Austin Reaves will become trade-eligible a month later.

Buha notes that the Lakers have already been linked to Zach LaVine in trade rumors, along with fellow Bulls DeMar DeRozan and Alex Caruso. But it appears any deal may be a couple of months away.

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Finding the best role for Reaves should be one of coach Darvin Ham‘s priorities for the rest of the season, Buha states in the same story. Reaves began the season as a starter, but he has put up better stats since being moved to a sixth-man role. Buha says the early-season slump could have been caused by fatigue from playing for Team USA in the World Cup or it could have been a result of adapting to more minutes at point guard. Regardless, Ham will eventually have to settle on a fifth starter from a group that includes Reaves, Prince, Reddish and Max Christie.
Meeting with reporters before tonight’s game, Ham confirmed that Jarred Vanderbilt will make his season debut after missing 20 games with bursitis in his left heel, Buha tweets. Hachimura has been medically cleared after missing the past four games following surgery for a nasal fracture, but Ham said “it’s more of a touch-and-feel thing with Rui” regarding how much he will play.
Vincent has only appeared in four games because of a left knee effusion, but he’s getting closer to a return, Ham added, saying that he’s lifting weights, shooting and running on an anti-gravity treadmill (Twitter link). “He’s progressing along,” Ham said. “Not as of yet, but he’s progressing really, really good.”

Sixers Notes: Batum, Beverley, House, Maxey

November 30th, 2023 at 8:59am CST by Arthur Hill

Nicolas Batum‘s impact on the Sixers‘ defense has made him the most valuable player the team received in the James Harden trade, writes Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. The versatile swingman not only moved into the starting lineup, he routinely guards the opposition’s top scorer, a list that so far has included Anthony Edwards, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, LeBron James and Brandon Ingram.

“It’s super valuable in a lot of ways, and he just does a lot of it by working,” coach Nick Nurse said. “Like he’s up the floor picking up full court. He’s in denial a lot. So the guy doesn’t even get it. That’s the easiest way to guard somebody if they don’t have the ball.”

Batum’s next assignment will be Celtics forward Jayson Tatum, but that’s only if he’s able to play Friday at Boston. Batum didn’t return to Wednesday’s game after he hyperextended his right index finger in the third quarter, reaggravating an existing injury.

“We will see (Thursday),” he said. “It’s new so I don’t know what’s going to happen. … We haven’t had an X-ray yet. It’s more like we will see what happens (Thursday).”

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At age 35, Patrick Beverley is posting the lowest scoring average of his career at 3.3 points per game, but he continues to help the Sixers through a combination of defense, leadership and finding ways to motivate himself, Pompey notes in a separate story. On Monday, it involved a confrontation with former Lakers teammate Austin Reaves that led to them being separated by officials. Beverley, who is still seething about Reaves doing the “too small” gesture after scoring on him last season, commented about the matchup on his podcast. “Every time I see the Lakers until I retire — whatever team Austin Reaves is on — I’m on his ass,” Beverley said.
Danuel House missed his third straight game Wednesday with a left quadriceps strain, Pompey states in the same piece. House tested the injury at the morning shootaround, and Nurse is hoping he’ll be able to participate in today’s practice. “We’ve been over a week now since he’s done anything, practice or game-wise,” Nurse said after the game. “I didn’t think it was much there. So it’s a little bit disappointing. But tomorrow we shall see if we can make some progress.”
Tyrese Maxey‘s playing time has increased dramatically under Nurse, who was known for leaning heavily on his core players in Toronto, Pompey adds. Maxey is averaging 38.4 minutes per night, which would be the most since Jimmy Butler reached 38.7 with the Bulls nine years ago.