Lakers Notes: Luka, Smart, Knecht, Ayton, Manon, Kleber
Perennial All-NBA guard Luka Doncic and former Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart will make their preseason debuts for the Lakers on Tuesday against Phoenix, head coach JJ Redick told reporters, including Dave McMenamin of ESPN and Khobi Price of The Southern California News Group.
Redick said both players will suit up for two of L.A.’s final three preseason games. Given Wednesday’s contest vs. Dallas is the second of a back-to-back, it seems likely that Doncic and Smart will play again on Friday against Sacramento, McMenamin observes.
Doncic hasn’t been injured during the preseason — the Lakers have just been cautious not to overexert him after the 26-year-old spent part of the summer playing for the Slovenian national team at EuroBasket 2025. Redick indicated that Doncic will be on a minutes restriction vs. the Suns.
Forward Jarred Vanderbilt said Doncic has looked good in recent practices, according to Price.
“He’s moving great,” Vanderbilt said Monday. “Everything that I’ve seen from him, like, he’s being vocal. He’s leading the charge, he’s being everything we need him to be right now. We’re happy to have him out there right now during this week, him getting some good practices and running with us, and just starting to build that momentum towards the regular season.”
Smart was originally supposed to play in Sunday’s game against Golden State but his preseason debut was pushed back a couple days. He has battled both Achilles tendinopathy and a stomach illness during training camp.
Here’s more on the Lakers:
- While Dalton Knecht‘s trade value has reportedly taken a hit over the past several months, the second-year forward has drawn praise from Redick for his offensive play in training camp, Price adds in another story. Knecht was moved into the starting lineup for Sunday’s win against the Warriors and responded with 16 points. “His sort of ceiling is going to be based on his improvement this season as a defender,” Redick said of Knecht. “He’s a big-time threat and a big-time player, and he’s made improvements. That’s ultimately going to be what the ceiling is for him. He’s earned the opportunity to [get] a look with him in the starting lineup. And our conversations all summer, all preseason, this is a year of player development for him, of growth and what that looks like, it’s got to be incremental. He’s bought into that, which is great.”
- As Price writes, Deandre Ayton also had a solid showing on Sunday, recording 14 points, eight rebounds and five assists in 26 minutes. The former No. 1 overall pick has been something of an afterthought the past couple years in Portland, but Austin Reaves believes the Bahamian big man is capable of producing at a high level for the Lakers. “Just how much skill he has,” Reaves responded when asked what has stood out about Ayton. “People forget about when he was in Phoenix and how dominant he was there and how he was one of the biggest reasons that team made it to the Finals [in 2021]. Talent is high. Can play in the pick-and-roll. Can protect the rim. We need that. We need him to flourish in that role.”
- Rookie wing Chris Manon will likely miss the remainder of preseason after suffering a Grade 2 ankle sprain, according to Redick (Twitter link via Price). Manon, who is known for his defense, signed a two-way contract with the Lakers in July after playing for the Warriors during Summer League.
- Veteran big man Maxi Kleber has dealt with a variety of injuries in recent years, including a broken right foot he suffered in January. He has been battling a quad injury during preseason but was able to play in a stay-ready game on Monday, tweets Dan Woike of The Athletic.
Lakers Notes: Doncic, LeBron, Starting Lineup, Smart
After missing the Lakers‘ first two preseason games, Luka Doncic will play in two of the last four, writes Dave McMenamin of ESPN. Coach JJ Redick announced the plan on Saturday, but he didn’t specify when Doncic will be active and said it hasn’t been determined if he’ll suit up for Sunday’s matchup with Golden State. L.A. will also face Phoenix on Tuesday, Dallas on Wednesday and Sacramento on Friday.
Doncic has been given a reduced workload in practice to allow him to recover from an intense summer representing Slovenia at EuroBasket. He was a full participant during Saturday’s session.
“I had (the) national team,” Doncic said. “Playing one month or something of basketball (for Slovenia). Obviously it’s a long season ahead, so just because of that.”
The Lakers dropped their first two preseason contests while using a modified lineup because Doncic and LeBron James were unavailable.
There’s more from Los Angeles:
- Doncic won’t go into games with the feeling that he has to do more while James recovers from sciatica, which is expected to sideline him for at least three to four weeks, McMenamin states in the same piece. “It’s a big change,” Doncic said of having to play without James. “He’s a great player. He can help us a lot. But at the end of the day, our mentality needs to be ‘next man up.’ We got a group of guys that have been practicing and hopefully LeBron can join us as soon as possible. We are going to obviously need him. But our mentality has got to be ‘next man up.'”
- James’ absence is presenting a huge challenge for Redick in putting together a starting lineup, McMenamin adds. Doncic, Austin Reaves and Deandre Ayton are definite starters heading into the season, but the other two spots are up for grabs. Power forward Rui Hachimura started 57 of the 59 games he played last season, but Jarred Vanderbilt started the first two preseason contests and is fully healthy for the first time in two years. Free agent additions Jake LaRavia and Marcus Smart could contend for the other starting role, depending on whether Redick wants to emphasize offense or defense against a given opponent.
- Smart will make his preseason debut on Sunday after sitting out the first two games with Achilles tendinopathy, according to Khobi Price of The Orange County Register. Reaves, who played in the opener but missed the second game, is also expected to be available.
Lakers Notes: Doncic, LeBron, Reaves, Smart
Lakers guards Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves both love playing alongside LeBron James and would like to continue doing so for as long as possible, sources tell Dave McMenamin of ESPN. Out of respect for the four-time MVP, neither Doncic nor Reaves has asked him about when he plans to retire, McMenamin adds.
As McMenamin points out, Doncic already has some experience playing next to an NBA legend during the final phase of his career, having done so with Dirk Nowitzki in Dallas. Doncic viewed that year he spent as Nowitzki’s teammate as “invaluable,” McMenamin writes.
Of course, by the time Doncic joined the Mavericks, Nowitzki had become a part-time role player — he averaged just 7.3 points in 15.6 minutes per game during his lone season alongside Doncic. It’s a different dynamic in Los Angeles, where Doncic views James as “vital” to the Lakers’ ability to contend in the short term, sources tell ESPN.
We have more on the Lakers:
- The nerve issue that will sideline James for the start of the regular season isn’t new, ESPN’s Shams Charania said today during an appearance on NBA Today (Twitter video link). According to Charania, James has been dealing with sciatica on his left side since late July or early August. “Even before the Lakers’ media day on September 29 and the start of training camp, I’m told LeBron James had not done much basketball for well over a month prior to that,” Charania said. “… For him to be out to start the season and miss his first ever opening night, it’s an admission by him and the Lakers that he needs more time to ramp up, get into basketball shape. … He’s not there yet.”
- Dan Woike of The Athletic examines what it means for the Lakers that they’ll be without James to start the season, noting that league sources have been impressed by how Reaves has looked as a primary offensive option this fall. Reaves will likely be leaned on to take on that role whenever Doncic is off the court, Woike notes.
- Marcus Smart, who has battled both Achilles tendinopathy and a stomach illness as of late, described training camp as a “roller coaster,” tweets Khobi Price of the Southern California News Group. Smart was able to participate in Thursday’s practice in full, but couldn’t say whether or not he’ll be available for the team’s next preseason game on Sunday. “I plan to play during preseason,” he said. “Just don’t know when.” The Lakers have a busy preseason schedule, with games also on tap for Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday, so the veteran guard will have a few more opportunities to suit up.
Lakers Notes: Vincent, Ayton, LaRavia, Smart
The Lakers didn’t have their “big three” available for their second preseason contest, a 111-103 loss to Golden State. It was an improvement from their 22-point loss to Phoenix. With Luka Doncic, LeBron James and Austin Reaves sitting out, Gabe Vincent led the way with 16 points and five assists.
“We came with more intention,” Vincent said, per Thuc Nhi Nguyen of the Los Angeles Times. “We were more focused. Obviously it’s different with those three not playing. They’re a huge part of our team and everything that we do. But next man up.”
We have more on the Lakers:
- They were outscored by 25 points by Golden State with Deandre Ayton on the court but it’s going to take time for the Lakers to incorporate his skills, Law Murray of The Athletic writes. Murray notes Ayton is going to be very dependent on his play-makers to get him shots, unlike Anthony Davis. He’s not going to get a lot of touches to create shots for others or spread the floor with outside shooting, but it’s not time to panic about Ayton’s ability to help the team, Murray adds.
- Jake LaRavia contributed 10 points and three assists against the Warriors and said he’s “already pretty comfortable with the role that I have” with his new team, Dave McMenamin of ESPN tweets. LaRavia left the Kings and signed a two-year deal with the Lakers at the start of free agency.
- Marcus Smart participated in the live play portions of practice on Tuesday, per coach JJ Redick, Khobi Price of the Orange County Register tweets. Smart has been limited in camp due to Achilles tendinopathy. “He looked great. He was moving great,” forward Jarred Vanderbilt said, per Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times. “But like I said, his main power is that he’s vocal. So being able to help the guys. Communicate, that’s a big part of defense also. Being physical is one of them, but also being vocal, being able to communicate. I think he does both at a very high level. So, he can definitely help us on that end of the floor.” Smart signed with the Lakers after getting bought out by Washington.
L.A. Notes: Doncic, Lakers, Lopez, Clippers
Getting the Lakers into peak physical condition appears to be head coach JJ Redick‘s primary goal entering the season, writes ESPN’s Dave McMenamin. Redick refers to it as being in “championship shape,” and notes that the directive is not only aimed at star Luka Doncic, though Doncic is one of the more visible examples of the fitness push.
As McMenamin writes, remaking his body through dieting and rigorous exercise routines has been the focus for Doncic this summer, both for himself and for the team as a whole.
“It’s not just physical shape, it’s mental shape, too,” the Slovenian star said. “Both are very important. We’re doing it in practice. It was great. Everybody’s in great shape. Everybody’s running a lot, so it’s been great so far.”
Despite Doncic’s efforts to reshape his body this offseason, he will not play in the Lakers’ preseason games this weekend, according to Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times (via Twitter), who calls it a collaborative decision with the Lakers’ performance team. Redick had previously said he’d be careful about overextending Doncic too early after the 26-year-old’s run with the Slovenian national team in EuroBasket.
While Doncic isn’t playing this weekend, Redick is expecting him to play at some point during the preseason, tweets Sportskeeda’s Mark Medina.
LeBron James, Marcus Smart, Adou Thiero, and Maxi Kleber are all expected to miss tonight’s game against the Suns as well.
We have more from the world of L.A. hoops:
- The Lakers remade their roster this offseason, but there are still significant questions to answer, writes Eric Pincus for Bleacher Report. Health will play a key role in the team’s outlook, along with the natural wear and tear that can be expected for the 40-year-old James. However, the most pressing unknown revolves around the fifth starting spot. Pincus names Smart, Rui Hachimura, and Jake LaRavia as three players most likely competing for the role. Hachimura has experience with the team and has shown himself to be a consistent shooter, having made 41.8% of his three-point tries over the last two seasons in L.A. Pincus calls LaRavia a high-effort defender who can also shoot the ball at 6’7″, while Smart brings a perimeter defensive toughness that a team built around Doncic, James, and Austin Reaves could use. Pincus also throws Jarred Vanderbilt‘s name into the mix as a potential dark-horse option.
- The Clippers brought Brook Lopez into the fold in an effort to reduce the burden on breakout defensive stalwart Ivica Zubac this season, writes Janis Carr for the Orange County Register. “We didn’t really have a backup center (last season), so when things got tough, we always had to get Zu back in the game,” head coach Tyronn Lue said. “I thought he played for too many minutes. If you asked him, he didn’t play enough, but for me it’s just too many minutes.” While Zubac was always up for the challenge and turned in the best season of his career, the Clippers now have the luxury of bringing a longtime starter and multi-time Defensive Player of the Year candidate off the bench in Lopez. As an added bonus, Lopez and Zubac have a Los Angeles-based history together. “I played with Zu with the Lakers almost 10 years ago now. I think it was his second year in the league, and he was a very talented, raw young player then,” Lopez said. “But to see his growth, it’s astonishing.“
- Lopez wasn’t the only big-name acquisition for the Clippers this summer. They also added Bradley Beal, John Collins, and brought back Chris Paul. They now have one of the deepest benches in the league, but that brings with it questions about how the rotation will shake out, writes Law Murray for The Athletic. Murray predicts that Beal will be the starting shooting guard and suggests that Collins could have a chance to start at the four, sliding Kawhi Leonard to the three. However, with so many talented players, some will likely be squeezed from the rotation. When asked about his role with the team, Nicolas Batum said, “Ask (Lue) that question, I don’t know… I mean, I’m here to play basketball.” Murray writes that he considers Batum the most likely odd man out when everyone is healthy.
Lakers Notes: Smart, Vanderbilt, Kleber, Backcourt Rotation, Koloko
Head coach JJ Redick is hoping the offseason addition of Marcus Smart and better health from Jarred Vanderbilt will improve the Lakers‘ perimeter defense, writes Khobi Price of the Orange County Register. Smart is a former Defensive Player of the Year and Vanderbilt has also been a highly regarded defender, but they’ve both been slowed by injuries over the past two seasons.
“With a healthy Vando and hopefully a healthy Marcus, our ability to put more pressure on the basketball earlier in the defensive possession will be a real thing,” Redick said.
Smart has been limited in camp due to Achilles tendinopathy, but Redick told reporters that he should be fully recovered by the end of the week. He has only played 54 combined games the past two seasons, and the Lakers are counting on him to be an anchor for their defense.
“I’ve talked with JJ and what he expects from me on both ends, especially the defensive end,” Smart said. “It’s everything I’ve been doing my whole career. It’s nothing new and I remember the first thing he told me was, ‘Hey, if we’re going to get the Celtics’ Marcus Smart, that’s who we want, that’s who we need. And we need you to be that person and be who you are.’ So for me, it’s just coming out and giving everything I got on this court and leaving it out there every night.”
Vanderbilt had surgery on both feet last summer and didn’t make his season debut until January 25. He said he’s feeling much better in training camp after being able to train during the offseason.
“It feels great being able to have a full summer under my belt. I was able to really work on my game, work on my body, and just having that confidence going into the year instead of playing catch up,” Vanderbilt said. “Being able to be a part of training camp early, and it’s a different level of approach and preparation when you already put the work in and being able to start fresh.”
There’s more on the Lakers:
- Maxi Kleber was set to undergo an MRI on Wednesday after tweaking his quad on the second day of camp, according to Lakers reporter Jovan Buha (Twitter link). Redick said the injury doesn’t appear to be serious, Buha adds.
- Redick listed Smart, Gabe Vincent and Jake LaRavia as locks for the backcourt rotation along with Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, Buha tweets.
- Christian Koloko believes this year’s version of the Lakers is more driven to succeed (Twitter video link from ESPN’s Dave McMenamin). “You can just see that everybody is like more hungry,” K0loko said. “We knew what we did last year, we could have done better. We want to do better. We want to win the championship. Everybody knows what it takes to get to that next level.”
Lakers Notes: LeBron, Reaves, Ayton, Hachimura, Smart, Thiero
Lakers forward LeBron James didn’t offer any specifics on Monday when asked at media day about his retirement plans, but admitted the end of his record-setting career is coming “sooner than later,” writes Dan Woike of The Athletic.
After making it a priority to play with son Bronny James in the NBA, LeBron made it clear on Monday that he won’t necessarily stick around in an effort to do the same thing with Bryce James, who is a freshman at Arizona this year.
“I am not waiting on Bryce,” James said, per Woike. “I don’t know what his own timeline is. I got my timeline, and I don’t know if they quite match up.”
James also said that the opportunity to play with a superstar like Luka Doncic in his prime provides some additional “motivation,” but he said that won’t have a material impact on his retirement decision, which will be made by LeBron and his family (Twitter link via ESPN’s Dave McMenamin).
Here’s more on the Lakers:
- Lakers guard Austin Reaves turned down a four-year, $87MM extension offer from the Lakers earlier this offseason and admitted to Woike that he was nervous that decision might cause the team to move him. “I thought that there was a good chance for, like, a week after I declined the extension that there was a possibility I’d get traded,” Reaves said. “I mean, it’s still a possibility.” The Lakers guard wants to remain in Los Angeles, but will be eligible for a more lucrative deal if he waits until at least 2026, when he could become an unrestricted free agent. Team and league sources who spoke to The Athletic believe Reaves could receive an annual salary of $35MM+ on his next contract.
- New Lakers center Deandre Ayton said on Monday that coming to L.A. represents the “biggest opportunity of my career” and said repeatedly that he’s not taking it for granted (Twitter links via McMenamin and Khobi Price of the Orange County Register). The former No. 1 overall pick has faced questions about his compete level in recent years.
- Forward Rui Hachimura and guard Marcus Smart both told reporters at media day on Monday that it doesn’t matter to them whether they start or come off the bench (Twitter links via Jovan Buha and Khobi Price). James, Doncic, Reaves, and Ayton are probable starters, but that leaves one spot open in the starting five. For what it’s worth, Hachimura did point out that he has established chemistry with James and the starters over the past couple seasons, but stressed that he’s more concerned about his overall minutes than whether he’s on the court to start the game.
- Lakers rookie forward Adou Thiero has experienced swelling in his knee and hasn’t been cleared for the start of training camp, according to McMenamin (Twitter links), who hears from a source that Thiero’s rehab process is on schedule and he should be cleared in another week. The second-round pick didn’t play in Summer League after injuring his knee in his final college season at Arkansas.
Southeast Notes: Rozier, Heat, Hornets, Wizards
When Jake Fischer recently reported that the Heat and Wizards held trade talks about guards Terry Rozier and Marcus Smart, he wrote that the two sides could not come to an agreement as Miami “could not reach an organizational consensus on whether such a trade was a clear upgrade.” Smart was ultimately bought out and ended up with the Lakers.
Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald confirms that the two Southeast teams did indeed engage with one another about a possible deal and notes that it would have made sense on paper given Smart’s expiring salary ($21.6MM) is cheaper than Rozier’s ($26.6MM). However, Chiang clarifies that the primary reason such a trade did not occur was primarily due to the fact that Miami didn’t want to attach the necessary draft capital it would have taken to complete such a deal.
The Heat remain open to trade talks surrounding Rozier, but they have been hesitant to include draft picks or sacrifice future flexibility simply to get off his expiring contract.
We have more from the Southeast Division:
- A federal investigation was launched early last year regarding game-worn Heat gear that was stolen from the team’s facilities, Chiang writes in another post. The gear includes that from the likes of Dwyane Wade, Shaquille O’Neal and LeBron James.
- Look for Mason Plumlee to start at center for the Hornets in a year where his competition looks to be rookie Ryan Kalkbrenner and former two-way big Moussa Diabate, Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer writes. Plumlee started for the Hornets during Mark Williams‘ rookie season before being traded to the Clippers. Boone suggests a similar situation could play out in 2025/26, with Plumlee starting as the man in the middle before Kalkbrenner ultimately takes over.
- The Wizards will keep their 2026 first-round pick if it ends up in the top eight of the draft. The Knicks will own the pick if it falls outside of that range, but as Josh Robbins of The Athletic details, the Wizards don’t feel compelled to try to reacquire that selection in its entirety, since doing so would mean potentially giving up the swap rights they own on the Suns’ 2026 first-rounder.
Latest From Stein, Fischer: Paul, Smart, Thomas, Kuminga
Chris Paul returned to Los Angeles and signed with the Clippers on a one-year deal last week. Paul showed strong interest in playing for one of his other former teams before making his decision, according to the latest Substack article from Marc Stein and Jake Fischer of The Stein Line.
The other team that Paul considered rejoining was the Suns. The team’s star, Devin Booker, was intrigued by the potential reunion, given how they meshed during Phoenix’s run to the 2021 NBA Finals. There was also seemingly a spot for Paul at the point, since Tyus Jones chose to sign with Orlando.
The Suns’ front office decided to go in another direction. Phoenix was much more interested in defensive stalwart Marcus Smart, who chose to sign with the Lakers after reaching a buyout with Washington. Phoenix’s brass also had some concerns how the future Hall of Famer’s presence might create some awkward situations for first-year head coach Jordan Ott.
The Suns wound up claiming Jordan Goodwin off waivers and signing Jared Butler to a non-guaranteed contract. Paul also drew interest from the Hornets, Mavericks and Bucks, as previously reported.
Citing a source, Stein said Dallas had D’Angelo Russell higher on its wish list than Paul. The Mavs’ brass believed Russell would be more comfortable in a complementary role once Kyrie Irving returns from his knee ailment. They also felt Russell was a better fit with Anthony Davis, considering they had played together with the Lakers. Russell signed a two-year deal with the Mavs.
Here’s more nuggets from The Stein Line:
- The Hawks considered absorbing Smart’s contract into its $25MM traded player exception prior to his buyout. Atlanta opted instead to acquire Kristaps Porziņgis and make a sign-and-trade transaction for Nickeil Alexander-Walker. The Bucks explored potential trades for Smart and the Heat‘s Andrew Wiggins with the aid of Pat Connaughton‘s expiring $9.4MM contract. They instead dealt him to Charlotte for two future second-round picks.
- Fischer reiterates that the Nets’ offers to restricted free agent Cam Thomas have yet to exceed two-year proposals featuring an annual average value in the range of the league’s $14.1MM non-taxpayer mid-level exception. Those offers also include a team option for the second year. Brooklyn appears to be in no rush to ramp up negotiations with Thomas’ representation, given Thomas’ lack of leverage.
- Regarding another prominent restricted free agent, Jonathan Kuminga has not gotten an offer from the Warriors close to his reported $30MM annual asking price. The Warriors’ best offers to Kuminga have topped out in the two-year, $40MM range, per Stein. As previously reported, the Kings and Suns are regarded as the top suitors but Golden State wants a first-round pick in any sign-and-trade deal. Phoenix is unable to offer a first-rounder.
Fischer’s Latest: RFAs, Smart, Vucevic, Brogdon
In addition to sharing the latest updates on Nets guard Cam Thomas, NBA insider Jake Fischer checked in on the other three most notable remaining restricted free agents during his Bleacher Report live stream on Thursday, discussing Bulls guard Josh Giddey, Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga, and Sixers guard Quentin Grimes.
Fischer stated that he doesn’t expect there to be resolution on either Giddey or Grimes this month (YouTube link) and expressed a belief that Grimes, Kuminga, and Thomas will eventually agree to short-term deals with their respective teams rather than long-term contracts (YouTube link).
While that leaves Giddey as the most likely player of the quartet to work out a longer-term agreement, Fischer added that he thinks Giddey’s dynamic with the Bulls is the “most strained” of the bunch right now, due to how the negotiations have played out so far (YouTube link).
Here’s more from Fischer:
- Before Marcus Smart agreed to a buyout with Washington and signed with the Lakers, the Wizards had “a ton” of trade discussions about the former Defensive Player of the Year, per Fischer (YouTube link). The Bucks, Hawks, and Heat were among the teams that spoke to the Wizards about possible deals involving Smart, according to Fischer, who says that Washington and Miami talked at one point about a trade that would’ve included Terry Rozier.
- Responding to a question about the possibility of the Bulls trading Nikola Vucevic, Fischer stressed that there isn’t much of a market for the veteran center (YouTube link). “I think at this juncture, we’re probably more likely to see a Nikola Vucevic buyout mid-season than we are to see a trade,” Fischer said. “Depending on how the market unfolds, depending on how injuries develop. There just really hasn’t been much of a Nikola Vucevic trade market in a while.”
- Fischer views the Timberwolves as perhaps the most logical landing spot for free agent guard Malcolm Brogdon (YouTube link). Fischer acknowledges that that Minnesota wants to give youngsters Rob Dillingham and Terrence Shannon Jr. more opportunities to establish themselves as rotation players, but notes that the team could use another veteran option to complement Mike Conley, who will turn 38 in October. “I think Minnesota still stands as a really good situation for Malcolm Brogdon and one that he’s been monitoring, one that the Wolves have checked in on,” Fischer said. “I’m not making a prediction, but I think that’s a good situation for Malcolm Brogdon.”