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Lakers Notes: Role Players, Russell, Bamba, KCP, James

May 21st, 2023 at 5:56pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Among the many issues the Lakers face as they try to dig themselves out of a 3-0 hole in the Western Conference Finals is the lack of production from their role players, Janis Carr of the Orange County Register writes.

Beyond their two superstars and Austin Reaves, the Lakers got modest contributions from the remaining members of the rotation in Game 3 against the Nuggets. D’Angelo Russell (three points), Dennis Schröder (five points) and Jarred Vanderbilt (two points) were non-factors offensively.

“I thought they did the best they could, all of them,” coach Darvin Ham said. “They competed. I’m disappointed but I’m not upset. Yeah, it sucks to lose, but those guys, they fought their hearts out. They tried to do it. They tried to execute what we gave them.”

We have more on the Lakers:

  • Russell admitted he’s baffled by his ineffective play, according to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin. Russell, who’s headed to free agency, shot just 1-for-8 from the field on Saturday. “I really don’t. I don’t know,” he said when asked about how his approach needs to change. “I’ll try to figure it out.” He’s averaging just 7.0 points in the series after contributing 14.7 PPG in the second round against Golden State.
  • The Lakers will have another frontcourt option for Game 4 on Monday. Mohamed Bamba is expected to be available, Ham told Chris Haynes of TNT (Twitter link). Bamba, who has appeared in only three postseason games due to a left ankle injury, hasn’t played since Game 6 in the first round against Memphis.
  • Kentavious Caldwell-Pope‘s defensive contributions and 3-point shot-making were often taken for granted during the Lakers’ 2020 title run at the Orlando bubble. His all-around contributions for the Nuggets in this series are a painful reminder of the ill-fated Russell Westbrook trade in 2021, which included Caldwell-Pope as part of the package, Ramona Shelburne of ESPN notes. KCP is averaging 15.3 points on 51.4% shooting in the series.
  • LeBron James is showing his age by his inability to carry the Lakers in this series, Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times opines. James played well enough in Game 3 but wasn’t great, and he needed to be great to bridge the gap that exists between the Nuggets and Lakers.
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Lakers Notes: LeBron, Davis, Bamba, Reaves, Hachimura

May 20th, 2023 at 7:11pm CST by Arthur Hill

General manager Rob Pelinka reshuffled the Lakers‘ roster to give LeBron James and Anthony Davis their best shot at another NBA title, but the two stars haven’t lived up to expectations so far in the Western Conference Finals, writes Sam Amick of The Athletic.

L.A. trails the series 2-0 after letting a pair of winnable games slip away in Denver. James missed a layup and botched a wide-open dunk in the second quarter Thursday, while Davis shot just 4-of-15 from the field after a 40-point night in Game 1. Amick notes that neither player is as dominant as they were when L.A. defeated Denver in the 2020 conference finals, which is understandable with James considering that he’s 38, but it’s more puzzling for Davis, who should still be in his prime at age 30.

“I got the same looks,” Davis told reporters after Game 2. “… I liked all the looks that I got today. Just a lot of them (were) short. I’m going to continue to shoot those shots and I’ve got to be better, more efficient, (to) help the team win. So, I’ll be better.”

There’s more on the Lakers:

  • James isn’t concerned about his three-point shooting, even though he’s off to an 0-for-10 start in the series, per Dave McMenamin of ESPN. James shot 32.1% from beyond the arc this season, his lowest figure in seven years, but his teammates are encouraging him to keep shooting whenever he’s open. “It’s LeBron James. I don’t think anybody bats an eye when he shoots a shot or questions his shot,” Austin Reaves said. “We want him taking whatever he feels comfortable with, just because he’s a winning basketball player for his whole career and that’s all he wants to do, he wants to win.”
  • Coach Darvin Ham altered his starting five for Game 2, but the change he made wasn’t the one he needed, contends Kevin Pelton of ESPN. There was speculation that Rui Hachimura might start after he did an effective job guarding Nikola Jokic late in Game 1, but Ham opted to replace Dennis Schröder with Jarred Vanderbilt instead. Although Vanderbilt controlled Jamal Murray early on, he bogged down the offense due to his lack of shooting range. Pelton argues that Ham should consider starting Hachimura and Schröder while bringing D’Angelo Russell off the bench.
  • Mohamed Bamba, who hasn’t played since April 28 because of left ankle soreness, may be able to return in Game 4 or 5, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
  • The Lakers are virtually certain to match any offer sheets signed by Reaves or Hachimura, who are both restricted free agents, Wojnarowski states on the latest edition of his podcast (hat tip to Silver Screen and Roll). “I don’t see any scenario where the Lakers would not match on both,” Wojnarowski said. “They have to. … They’ve proved themselves to be win-now players with LeBron and Anthony Davis on their timeline (and) these are both starting-level players.”
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Pacific Notes: James, Moneke, Vezenkov, Suns, Winger

May 19th, 2023 at 7:55pm CST by Dana Gauruder

LeBron James twisted his left ankle in the late going of Game 2 against the Nuggets on Thursday but the Lakers’ superstar said he’ll play in Game 3, according to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin. James, who has dealt with right foot problems this season, stepped on Anthony Davis‘ foot. “A little ankle [injury] isn’t going to stop me,” James said.

We have more from the Pacific Division:

  • Chima Moneke, who played two games with the Kings this season before signing with AS Monaco in the EuroLeague, fully expects league MVP Sasha Vezenkov to play for his former NBA team next season, Aris Barkas of Eurohoops.net writes. Sacramento holds Vezenkov’s NBA rights. “I know that they love him over there. They’re really excited to bring him over,” Moneke said. “I believe they’re going to do what it takes to implement him on the team. I think he can contribute in a lot of ways.”
  • The Suns have gotten numerous inquiries from college coaches regarding their head coaching job, Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic reports. While Rankin doesn’t reveal any specific names, he notes that owner Mat Ishbia is extremely close to his former college coach, Michigan State’s Tom Izzo.
  • Clippers general manager Michael Winger has interviewed with the Wizards in Washington’s search for a top executive. However, there’s skepticism around the league that Winger, one of the highest paid GMs in the league, will leave the stability of his current job, according to Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports.
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Lakers Notes: James, Davis, Bamba, Schröder, Vanderbilt

May 15th, 2023 at 7:32pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Despite his age and two decades as an NBA player, Lakers superstar LeBron James continues to defy Father Time with his All-Star level performances. Teammate D’Angelo Russell has a simple explanation for why James continues to excel at an age when most NBA players have already retired, according to Greg Beacham of The Associated Press.

”Bron’s niche has always been preparedness,” Russell said. ”A lot of guys’ niches is shooting the ball, working hard, outworking guys. LeBron is a film junkie, a basketball junkie, a leadership junkie. To be able to watch it all from the front row, it’s almost like a cheat code.”

James has played in a league-record 278 postseason games, and his 7,912 career postseason points are nearly 2,000 more than Michael Jordan (5,987) atop the NBA’s career playoff scoring list, Beacham adds.

We have more on the Lakers:

  • The team’s Game 1 injury report didn’t have any surprises. James and Anthony Davis were both listed as probable for Tuesday’s game, as they were for much of the Warriors series, Harrison Wind of DNVR Sports tweets. Both have been playing through right foot ailments. Mohamed Bamba is listed as out due to left ankle soreness.
  • Bamba wasn’t at Monday’s practice in Denver because he’s back in Los Angeles after getting a PRP injection in his ankle earlier this postseason, Jovan Buha of The Athletic tweets. He has a follow-up appointment there on Tuesday and will rejoin the team afterward, Buha adds. Bamba has only made three cameo appearances during this postseason.
  • Coach Darvin Ham tweaked his lineup in the series finale against the Warriors, inserting guard Dennis Schröder in favor of small forward Jarred Vanderbilt, Elliott Teaford of the Orange County Register notes. Will Ham stick with the lineup switch for the Nuggets’ series? That’s TBD, though Ham liked how Schröder hounded Stephen Curry, which could lead to a similar defensive assignment against Jamal Murray. “Dennis came in and set an unbelievable tone defensively,” Ham said.
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NBA Announces 2022/23 All-NBA Teams

May 10th, 2023 at 6:10pm CST by Rory Maher

The NBA has officially announced its All-NBA teams for the 2022/23 season.

A total of 100 media members vote on the All-NBA awards. Players received five points for a First Team vote, three points for Second Team, and one point for Third Team, for a maximum total of 500 points. This year’s three All-NBA teams are as follows:

First Team

Second Team

Third Team

A total of 37 players received at least one vote, per the NBA. The top vote-getters who wound up missing out on All-NBA spots were Lakers center Anthony Davis (65), Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (49) and Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (44).

Morant had Rose Rule language in his rookie scale extension, meaning his five-year deal would have started at 30% of next season’s cap had he been voted in; instead, he’ll receive 25% of the cap, which is projected to be a difference of about $39MM across five seasons.

Other players receiving 20-plus points include Bucks guard Jrue Holiday (39), Suns forward Kevin Durant (35) and Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (23). The next three highest were Raptors forward Pascal Siakam (15), Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (15) and Anthony Edwards of the Timberwolves (14), who is listed under forward but spent most of the season at shooting guard.

As we noted earlier today, both of the Celtics’ top two players will now be eligible for Designated Veteran Extensions, also known as the super-max: Brown will be eligible to sign a five-year extension this offseason that starts at up to 35% of the 2024/25 salary cap, while Tatum will be eligible to sign a super-max extension in 2024 after earning All-NBA nods each of the past two seasons.

Like Brown, Siakam would have been eligible for a super-max extension this summer had he made an All-NBA team. He finished a distant ninth, so his maximum extension will now be worth a projected $192.2MM over four years, tweets Eric Koreen of The Athletic. As Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca observes (via Twitter), Siakam could still qualify for a super-max deal if he makes an All-NBA spot next season as an impending free agent.

This will be the last season under the current Collective Bargaining Agreement. In the new CBA, All-NBA voting will be positionless and players will be required to play a minimum of 65 games to earn major regular season awards. Five of the players honored today — Antetokounmpo, Curry, Butler, Lillard and James — played fewer than 65 this season and would have been ineligible if the new requirements had been in effect, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks (Twitter link).

LeBron extended his own NBA record with his selection, earning a spot on an All-NBA team for the 19th straight season, per ESPN’s Dave McMenamin (Twitter link). No other player has more than 15 total All-NBA awards (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Kobe Bryant and Tim Duncan are tied for second at 15 apiece).

Giannis was a unanimous First Team selection for the fifth straight season, per Eric Nehm of The Athletic (Twitter link), and the only unanimous choice in 2022/23. Antetokounmpo now has more First Team berths than any European-born player, tweets HoopsHype, and only trails Hakeem Olajuwon among international players (six). The Bucks superstar finished third in MVP voting behind Embiid and Jokic, but Jokic received some First Team votes over the Sixers’ MVP winner, which is why Embiid wasn’t a unanimous pick.

According to HoopsHype (Twitter link), this is the first season in league history that only one American player (Tatum) was voted to the First Team. Doncic (Slovenia) and Antetokounmpo (Greece) are European, Embiid was born in Cameroon, and Gilgeous-Alexander is Canadian.

Despite earning an All-NBA nod for the first time, Mitchell wasn’t happy that he didn’t make the First Team, sending out a tweet on the matter.

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Lakers Notes: James, Reaves, Injury Report, Walker

May 9th, 2023 at 10:51pm CST by Dana Gauruder

LeBron James isn’t concerned about the Lakers getting complacent after taking a 3-1 series lead against the Warriors, Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times writes.

“I think we’ll be ready. One thing about when you play Golden State, you don’t have an opportunity to relax. You just don’t,” James said. “So I’m not worried about us going in there comfortable. You just can’t do it versus Golden State. It’s not possible.”

Game 5 will be played Wednesday night.

We have more on the Lakers:

  • Austin Reaves broke out of a shooting slump to contribute 21 points in Game 4, six fewer than he had in the first three games combined against Warriors, Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times notes. Reaves went 7-of-15 from the field and made half of his six 3-point tries. “He just has to stay fearless, stay aggressive and stay locked in like he always has been,” coach Darvin Ham said of Reaves, who will enter restricted free agency after the season. “He’ll make it through the rough patches of the game.”
  • The Lakers’ injury report for Game 5 hasn’t changed at all from Game 4. James and Anthony Davis, who have dealt with right foot ailments, are listed as probable by the team’s PR department (Twitter link) and it would be a big surprise if either missed the game. Mohamed Bamba is questionable again with left ankle soreness. Bamba hasn’t appeared in the series.
  • Lonnie Walker IV, a free agent after the season, is brimming with self satisfaction after scoring 15 fourth-quarter points in Game 4. Walker has given the club a huge boost in the last two games. “The greatest feeling you could ever imagine,” Walker told ESPN’s Dave McMenamin and other media members. “As a kid, this is something I’ve been dreaming of doing. Not just being a part of the playoffs, but impacting it, let alone winning in the playoffs. I’m truly proud of myself. It really shows my capabilities. Just my mental fortitude. I think the hardest thing of being able to play a lot and then not playing at all is sticking with it.”
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Lakers Notes: Walker, Davis, James, Defense, Free Throws

May 8th, 2023 at 7:47pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Lonnie Walker IV finally got some significant minutes on Game 3 of the Lakers’ second-round series against the Warriors and he gave the team a lift, Broderick Turner of The Los Angeles Times notes.

Walker played 25 minutes in Game 3 after logging just 28 in the previous eight games combined. His 12 points were five fewer than he contributed in the previous five postseason contests. Walker, an unrestricted free agent after the season, stayed razor sharp despite those limited minutes.

“I’m in love with this game. I’m obsessed with this game and most importantly I’m only 24 so what’s yet to become always keeps me optimistic in life,” he told Turner. “So, day to day, giving it the best I can and understanding once my time is called, once my number is called, just being ready. Can’t make no excuses. At the end of the day, no one is going to feel bad for you. So, you got to go out there and play.”

We have more on the Lakers:

  • Anthony Davis (right foot stress injury) and LeBron James (right foot soreness) are listed as probable for Game 4, Brad Turner of the Los Angeles Times tweets. Mohamed Bamba (left ankle soreness) has the questionable tag.
  • The Lakers’ defense was dominant on Saturday, a major turnaround after Golden State’s Game 2 win. Jovan Buha of The Athletic breaks down the Lakers’ defensive strategy for the game, as coach Darvin Ham notes that the playoffs require continued focus. “I think once you get to a certain point within a series, then there’s no more fooling anyone,” Ham said. “It’s just who does what they do the best. … The more you get deeper into a playoff series headed towards seven games, it’s just the more disciplined you have to be with the little things, the intangibles.”
  • Free throw shooting has helped the Lakers neutralize the Warriors’ perimeter game, Law Murray of The Athletic writes. The Lakers outscored the Warriors 28-12 from the free throw line in Game 3 after the teams each made 10 free throws in Game 2. The Lakers won Game 1 in large part due to a 25-5 advantage in made free throws.
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Lakers Notes: LeBron, Davis, Walker, Bronny

May 7th, 2023 at 8:57am CST by Arthur Hill

After the Lakers dominated the Warriors on Saturday to reclaim the lead in their series, LeBron James offered some advice about the highs and lows of the playoffs, writes Dave McMenamin of ESPN. The 38-year-old, who has appeared in more career postseason games than anyone, warned against overreacting to one win or loss.

“For the young guys that haven’t been a part of the postseason or haven’t had much experience in the postseason, just stay off the TV and stay off social media,” he said. “You win a game, everybody is the greatest player in the world; you lose a game, they’re throwing dirt on you. It’s literally that simple. It’s all about training your mind for the next challenge. And, ‘What’s the next challenge? This game is over with, we played well. OK, cool. But we got another on Monday.'”

James had 21 points, eight rebounds and eight assists as L.A. won by 30 points after losing its last game by 27. His numbers have been fairly consistent throughout the playoffs, but the same can’t be said for Anthony Davis, whose up-and-down performances usually correlate with a Lakers’ win or loss. He was a +28 on Saturday with 25 points and 13 rebounds after posting a -22 in Game 2 with 11 points and seven rebounds.

“I look at it as I just missed shots,” Davis said of Thursday’s game. “I didn’t do anything differently. I know, especially at this time of the year, I put it all on the floor and that’s all I can do.”

There’s more on the Lakers:

  • Coach Darvin Ham made a rotation change on Saturday, moving Lonnie Walker ahead of Troy Brown and Malik Beasley, McMenamin adds. After playing 27 combined minutes in the team’s eight previous playoff games, Walker had 12 points in 25 minutes in Game 3. Ham also cautioned against reading too much into the margins of victory. “Make no mistake about it, the deficit, us winning by whatever, 30 doesn’t represent who that team really is. Just like losing Game 2 doesn’t represent who we are,” Ham said. “This is going to be a battle to the end.”
  • After Saturday’s game, James told reporters that he’s “still serious” about wanting to be on the same team with his son, per Ramona Shelburne of ESPN. Bronny James, who committed to USC earlier in the day and will be eligible to enter the 2024 draft, was at courtside to watch his father battle the Warriors. “My son is going to take his journey. And whatever his journey, however his journey lays out, he’s going to do what’s best for him,” the elder James said. “… So, just because that’s my aspiration or my goal, doesn’t mean it’s his. And I’m absolutely OK with that.”
  • Rob Pelinka’s roster shakeup at the trade deadline continues to pay off, notes Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports, who pointed out that D’Angelo Russell, Rui Hachimura and Jarred Vanderbilt all contributed to Saturday’s win.
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Bronny James Commits To USC; NBA Could Be A Year Away

May 6th, 2023 at 8:41pm CST by Arthur Hill

The first step in a story that could have major NBA implications next summer took place today as Bronny James revealed that he’ll play college basketball at USC. The 18-year-old star at Sierra Canyon School in Los Angeles made the announcement on his Instagram page.

Bronny’s father, LeBron James, stated at the 2022 All-Star Game that one of his remaining career goals is to play on the same NBA team with his son. They would become the first father-and-son duo to ever be in the NBA at the same time.

LeBron’s current contract with the Lakers includes a $50.652MM player option for the 2024/25 season, which he could decline to become a free agent. He has indicated a willingness to sign with whatever team selects Bronny in next year’s draft.

He talked about it again in a January interview with Dave McMenamin of ESPN (video link), saying, “I need to be on the floor with my boy. I gotta be on the floor with Bronny. I would love to do the whole Ken Griffey Sr. and Jr. thing.”

The younger James has been steadily moving up draft boards, ESPN’s Jonathan Givony reported in February. Givony has Bronny going 10th in his latest 2024 mock draft and calls him “arguably the best perimeter defender in his high school class.”

Bronny is a McDonald’s All-American and is considered one of the five best point guard prospects in high school, according to Jeff Borzello of ESPN. He selected the Trojans over Oregon and Ohio State, who were considered to be the other finalists in a mostly secretive recruiting process.

The potential pairing of LeBron and Bronny would be a huge money-maker for whoever can pull it off, Adam Zagoria states in a Forbes article. Pinnacle Advertising creative director Bob Dorfman told Zagoria that some teams could see a 50% rise in their valuation within a year if they were able to acquire both players.

“The franchise value of the team that lands them will skyrocket,” Dorfman added. “Their games will become must-see events that command huge ticket prices and prime-time viewing slots, and they could quickly turn into a playoff powerhouse.”

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Lakers Notes: James, Curry, Davis, Bamba, Russell, Roster

May 1st, 2023 at 7:05pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The playoff matchup between the LeBron James-led Lakers and Stephen Curry-led Warriors should be a thriller. James has great respect for what Curry, who scored 50 points on Sunday to close out the Kings, has accomplished, Dave McMenamin of ESPN writes.

“[Curry] puts in the work,” James said. “And when you put in the work, nine times out of 10 you’re going to see the results. And he’s done that throughout his whole, entire career. I have nothing but the utmost respect for Steph and everything he’s been able to accomplish, not only on the floor but also off the floor, too. It’s just great to have people like that in this league to set an example for the generation to come.”

James says that Curry presents an imposing defensive challenge for the entire team.

“You’ve seen some of the shots, the routine shots, that Steph was making in Game 7 that everybody was going crazy after,” James said. “That’s just Steph. When you’re that great, you make tough shots like that. So, we’ve got to be locked in and not hurt ourselves.”

We have more on the Lakers:

  • The team comes into the second round in relatively good health. James (right foot soreness) and Anthony Davis (right foot stress injury) are listed as probable for Game 1 on Tuesday, Brad Turner of the Los Angeles Times tweets. Mohamed Bamba (left ankle soreness) is listed as questionable.
  • D’Angelo Russell, who will be a free agent after the season, poured in 31 points when the Lakers knocked out the second-seeded Grizzlies in Game 6. Performances like that could enhance Russell’s chances of re-signing with the team, Joe Vardon of The Athletic writes. The Lakers are reportedly not interested in signing Kyrie Irving and reuniting him with James.
  • Thanks to the changes made in-season, the new-look Lakers have all the pieces in place to win the championship, Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer opines. The club now has shot creators who can provide a spark and take pressure off of James and Davis.
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