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Lakers Notes: Westbrook, Christie, Schröder, Bryant

November 16th, 2022 at 8:11pm CST by Rory Maher

Lakers guard Russell Westbrook has undoubtedly performed better since head coach Darvin Ham decided to bring him off the bench. In three games (28.5 minutes) as a starter, he averaged 10.3 points, 6.7 rebounds and 4.3 assists on .280/.083/.800 shooting compared to 18.3 points, 5.1 rebounds and 8.1 assists on .449/.415/.810 shooting in nine games (29.6 minutes) as a reserve.

However, as Kyle Goon of The Southern California News Group writes, turnovers and unpredictable play have tempered Westbrook’s otherwise solid production since the transition. He’s averaging 4.4 turnovers off the bench and sometimes meanders through important possessions without setting the offense.

According to Goon, Ham replaced Westbrook with rookie Max Christie with eight minutes left in the fourth quarter of the Lakers’ victory over Brooklyn on Sunday, and the team’s lead went from six points up to 18 in five minutes. Westbrook struggled to close the third quarter, going 0-for-3 with a turnover during a stretch that saw the Lakers’ 16-point lead cut down to three.

There’s mounting evidence that it might be wise for Ham to sit Westbrook at the end of games, Goon notes. Even though it’s been a team-wide issue for the 3-10 Lakers, Westbrook is shooting just 1-for-7 in clutch situations and has the worst plus/minus (-19) on the roster in those minutes.

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Christie, the 35th overall pick of June’s draft, has entered the NBA’s health and safety protocols, ESPN’s Dave McMenamin tweets. The 19-year-old has been in the rotation over the past four games, averaging 4.5 points and 4.8 rebounds while shooting 50% from three-point range in 20.2 minutes per game over that stretch.
Ham told reporters that Dennis Schröder and Thomas Bryant are probable for Friday’s game against the Pistons, per Mike Bresnahan of Spectrum SportsNet (Twitter link). Both players underwent thumb surgery just before the regular season began and have yet to play this season, so Friday could mark their 2022/23 debuts.
LeBron James was a non-contact participant in Wednesday’s practice, Bresnahan adds. James is considered day-to-day with a left adductor strain. His status will be updated Thursday.

Pacific Notes: Leonard, LeBron, Monk, Wiseman

November 12th, 2022 at 11:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Clippers are just a game above .500, but they’re willing to give Kawhi Leonard all the time he needs to start playing again, writes Janis Carr of The Orange County Register. Leonard participated in a five-on-five workout Friday for the first time since experiencing right knee soreness on October 23. Although that’s an encouraging sign, his teammates don’t want to rush him back into the lineup.

“I’m excited to get him back whenever he’s ready,” Paul George said. “Nobody here wants to put added pressure on his return. His return is his return. Like I’ve been saying, we got a job to do and that’s to continue to play ball, win games, compete. When he’s ready, he’s ready, but that’s his timetable, not ours.”

Leonard, who missed all of 2021/22 while recovering from a torn ACL, has only been able to play in two games this season. Kevin Durant, whose Nets won in L.A. this afternoon, said Leonard understands what he needs to do to get healthy.

“He knows how to deal with his body,” Durant said. “He knows his body better than anybody. The league is better though, when Kawhi Leonard is playing.”

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After missing Friday’s game with a left adductor strain, Lakers star LeBron James has been upgraded slightly for Sunday but still remains doubtful, tweets Dave McMenamin of ESPN. With James sidelined, coach Darvin Ham said “self-inflicted mistakes” cost L.A. in a loss to the Kings, per Jovan Buha of The Athletic. The Lakers committed numerous turnovers and defensive mistakes in the closing minutes of both halves. “We’ve just got to get some wins, especially in the West,” Anthony Davis said. “Every team is good. Got a lot of basketball left but we dug ourselves a hole. So we’ve got to put some wins together, got to start winning — ASAP. Try to stay positive, obviously. The energy around our locker room feels like 2-10, as it should. But we’ve got to start putting wins together immediately.”
Malik Monk, who left the Lakers for the Kings in free agency, has been a good fit in Sacramento, according to Kyle Goon of The Southern California News Group. L.A. wasn’t able to offer Monk more than the taxpayer mid-level exception, so he signed with the Kings for $9.5MM. “People probably may not look at him like this because he’s so young, and he’s bounced around as a young guy, but he knows how to lead,” coach Mike Brown said. “He uplifts the group. He’s fun-loving. He’s always messing with somebody, and guys really, really enjoy that, and you need that when you’re together as much as we are.”
The Warriors should consider trading third-year center James Wiseman, who doesn’t fit the team’s style of play and isn’t ready to be part of a championship contender, argues Nekias Duncan of Basketball News.

Lakers Rumors: Trades, Beal, Davis, Westbrook, LeBron, FAs

November 11th, 2022 at 7:57am CST by Luke Adams

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.

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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.

LeBron James Day-To-Day With Left Adductor Strain

November 10th, 2022 at 3:58pm CST by Luke Adams

3:58pm: An MRI revealed that James has a left adductor strain, Ham told reporters (Twitter links via McMenamin). He’s officially listed as doubtful for Friday’s contest against Sacramento and is considered day-to-day.

7:41am: Lakers star LeBron James left Wednesday’s loss to the Clippers in the fourth quarter and didn’t return due to what the team referred to as left leg soreness. As Dave McMenamin of ESPN reports, James said after the game that it was a groin issue, explaining that he felt a “little spasm or strain in my groin” while posting up Clippers forward Paul George.

According to McMenamin, James is expected to undergo additional testing and medical imaging on Thursday to determine the severity of the injury. The veteran forward had already been battling left foot soreness, having initially been listed as questionable to play on Wednesday.

James previously suffered a tear in his left groin on Christmas Day in 2018 and missed 17 games as a result of the injury. Asked to compare that injury to this one, the 37-year-old said it’s “not as bad” this time around, per McMenamin. He didn’t even rule out the possibility of returning to action on Friday when the Lakers host Sacramento.

“I’ll go around (the clock) treatment for 24 hours, and if it’s OK on Friday, I’ll be in the lineup,” James said.

With Wednesday’s loss, the Lakers dropped to 2-9 to open the season, so it seems like things couldn’t get much worse if LeBron does have to miss time. However, as Jovan Buha of The Athletic observes, the team has been 3.1 points per 100 possessions better with James on the court so far this season. He had scored 30 points in 32 minutes before exiting Wednesday’s game.

“I mean it’s just a lot of adversity,” Lakers head coach Darvin Ham said after the loss, according to McMenamin. “(James) has been trying his heart out just to be there for us and play at a high level. I thought he had it going really, really well tonight. But it just is something that it’s the NBA season, man. You got to be ready for a little bit of everything. We’ll see once he gets evaluated, and we’ll be ready to move forward.”

Injury Updates: Giannis, Holiday, LeBron, CP3, Drummond

November 9th, 2022 at 1:59pm CST by Luke Adams

The Bucks will take an NBA-best 9-1 record into Oklahoma City on Wednesday night, but they’ll be missing the two stars who have been largely responsible for leading them to that hot start.

As Eric Nehm of The Athletic tweets, Bucks guard Jrue Holiday (right ankle sprain), who was originally listed as doubtful for Wednesday’s game, has been downgraded to out. Two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo (left knee soreness) has also been ruled out after initially being considered probable to play.

There’s no indication at this point that either injury is a serious one, but they’ll be worth monitoring in the coming days. The Bucks’ next game after tonight is on Friday in San Antonio.

Here are a few more injury-related updates from around the league:

Lakers star LeBron James, who had been listed as questionable for Wednesday’s game vs. the Clippers due to left foot soreness, will play, he told reporters today (Twitter link via Jovan Buha of The Athletic). James said that rest is the only thing that can help the injury, but he doesn’t plan to sit out for an extended period, and his status for back-to-back sets will be determined based on how he’s feeling.
The Suns are now listing Chris Paul as out for Wednesday’s game vs. Minnesota with right heel soreness, tweets Timberwolves broadcaster Alan Horton. After Paul left Monday’s contest due to the heel injury, head coach Monty Williams said on Tuesday that it’s “a lot better than what we thought,” so it doesn’t sound as if the veteran point guard will miss much time (Twitter link via Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic).
After missing six games with a sprained left shoulder, Bulls center Andre Drummond has been upgraded to probable for Wednesday’s contest vs. New Orleans and expects to play, per Rob Schaefer of NBC Sports Chicago.

Lakers Notes: Trades, Ham, Roster, Davis, James

November 8th, 2022 at 10:52pm CST by Dana Gauruder

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.

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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

November 7th, 2022 at 10:42pm CST by Dana Gauruder

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.

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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

November 7th, 2022 at 12:51pm CST by Rory Maher

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

November 5th, 2022 at 11:04pm CST by Arthur Hill

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.

Lakers Notes: Westbrook, Davis, Ham, LeBron

October 29th, 2022 at 5:10pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Lakers were encouraged by Russell Westbrook‘s performance off the bench Friday night, writes Dave McMenamin of ESPN. It’s a role that new head coach Darvin Ham talked to Westbrook about during the offseason, and he decided to make the move after the team’s sluggish start.

Westbrook turned in his best game of the season, delivering 18 points, eight rebounds and three assists in 33 minutes. However, his shooting woes continued as he hit just 6-of-17 from the field and 5-of-10 from the foul line and he turned the ball over five times.

“From Day 1, I mentioned I’m the guy that’s willing to do whatever for the team,” said Westbrook, who hadn’t been used as a reserve since his rookie season. “I’ll sacrifice whatever it is that needs to be sacrificed — parts of my game that I’ve done for years to accommodate whatever it is that the coach needs me to do, and I’ll continue to do that.”

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Anthony Davis sat out his first game of the season Friday due to lower back tightness, McMenamin adds. While it doesn’t sound like a serious injury, there are always concerns with any physical ailment involving Davis, who has played just 40 and 36 games the past two seasons. “He has to do what’s best for his body,” LeBron James said. “He has to do what’s best for his body and his mind. If his mind is gone, then everything else will fall to the wayside. So he has to trust himself. Yes, he wants to play every game. Yes, he wants to be out there for our team. But he’s had a lot of bumps and bruises over the last few years, so he has to trust himself, trust his staff and not put his body in harm’s way.”
After L.A. dropped to 0-5, Ham joked with reporters about the team’s lack of offense, per Kyle Goon of The Orange County Register. Asked if Lonnie Walker can become the “third scorer” in the starting lineup, Ham responded, “I mean, we welcome any and all scorers, whether they’re third, fourth, fifth, sixth or seventh. If you can score, we’ll work you out tomorrow.”
The Lakers ended Friday’s game with James at center, trying to create a mismatch with Minnesota’s Rudy Gobert, Goon notes. James indicated that he doesn’t expect to see much time in the middle, explaining that Ham is experimenting with different combinations. “We’re just trying to find what works right now, to be honest,” he said. “It doesn’t matter who is on the floor. We’re just trying to find what works, who can give us the best chance to win a ballgame.”