Nets Notes: Porter, Saraf, Lottery, Demin
Nets coach Jordi Fernandez has been urging Michael Porter Jr. to take more responsibility for facilitating the offense and to get back to the cutting style that made him successful in Denver, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Porter handed out seven assists for the second straight game and contributed 34 points and nine rebounds as Brooklyn topped Washington on Sunday for its second win of the season.
“He has a plan for him to get better and to show things that he hasn’t done before,” Fernandez said. “And right now for him to buy into finishing his cuts, not dancing, not over-dribbling, putting pressure on the rim, everybody benefits from it. And guess what? Usually when he does it, he’s the one benefiting from it. So we want him and need him to play like this, because that’s just contagious and good for the group. So, very proud of him.”
Porter accepted the blame for Friday’s loss at Orlando as he shot 1-of-6 down the stretch in a close game. He told Lewis that he’s still adapting to the Nets’ style of play, but the team has passing big men who can reward cutters.
“When I was in Denver, everyone assumed that I was just getting some of those cuts because of Nikola (Jokic) and his vision. But I’ve always been a cutter, a guy that likes to find easy buckets, use my size around the basket,” Porter said. “So coming over here, it’s something that I have been intentional about. (Nic) Claxton and Day’Ron (Sharpe) can really pass the ball and they found me for a lot of easy points around the rim. So I got to keep doing that.”
There’s more on the Nets:
- First-round pick Ben Saraf injured his ankle in a G League game, Lewis adds in the same piece. A source told Lewis that Saraf is being evaluated and an update will likely be issued later today.
- Sunday’s game with the Wizards matched two teams at the bottom of the NBA standings, and the Nets might have slightly damaged their lottery odds by winning. Fernandez said that wasn’t a concern going into the contest, as his focus is on day-to-day improvement, Lewis states in a separate story. “It’s a learning process. And it’s not just about the young guys. And I want to repeat this over and over: It’s about us. It’s about the group. It’s about growing together,” Fernandez said. “There’s a plan for everybody to get better. And if you don’t get better, you get worse.”
- Egor Demin has played well since moving into the starting lineup, but he only saw seven minutes of action in the second half on Friday, Lewis adds in another piece. Fernandez explained that his decision was about using the combination that was working best that night. “At some point, what you’re trying to find is a group that gives you a run,” Fernandez said. “It’s not just about one player. It’s about finding a group. Egor played against a very physical team; those minutes are extremely valuable. But it’s not just about the rookies. I know (reporters) ask me about the rookies all the time, but it’s everybody.”
Nets Notes: Friday’s Loss, Claxton, Demin, Wolf
The Nets suffered their most disappointing loss of the season on Friday in Orlando, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Brooklyn was up 16 points in the second quarter — the team’s largest lead of the season — and held a 98-94 edge in late in the fourth, only to give up 11 unanswered points to lose by seven.
The upside of the team’s latest loss is that the Nets remain tied with Indiana and Washington for the worst record in the league (1-11), giving all three clubs the current best odds ahead of the 2026 draft lottery, Lewis notes.
Here’s more on the Nets:
- While rebounding has been an issue, starting center Nic Claxton entered Friday’s contest averaging career highs in points (15.3) and assists (3.7) per game and is also shooting a career-best 73.6% from the free throw line, observes C.J. Holmes of The New York Daily News. “I’m very happy with what I’m seeing from Nic,” head coach Jordi Fernandez said. “Efficiency, true shooting, however you want to call it… He’s got to sustain it for 82 [games], but all his work is paying off. There’s going to be some ups, there’s going to be some downs, but we will support him, and we believe in him because we see the day-to-day work… I’m happy when he plays with energy, he affects everybody else, all his teammates.”
- Fernandez has also been pleased with the performance of lottery pick Egor Demin early on this season, per Bridget Reilly of The New York Post, though the coach readily acknowledges there’s still plenty of room for improvement. “Obviously, you need to learn, he needs to grow on the defensive end be more react proactive instead of reactive,” Fernandez said of the Russian teenager. “I think right there is where he can catch some of the drives and communicate better and learn the schemes. He’s a smart kid. We’re going to keep challenging him to do those things. And he will. But I’m very happy where he’s at right now and what he’s shown.”
- Late first-rounder Danny Wolf has had some solid games in the G League with the Nets’ affiliate in Long Island, but has only played six total minutes in two brief NBA appearances. Fernandez says the Nets will continue to develop their young players at their own pace and the team isn’t interested in rushing the process, as Holmes relays. “It’s not just about one player; it’s about all the players,” Fernandez said. “And if all the players accomplish what their plan is, we’re going to get a competitive team. Because at the end of the day it’s not about you, it’s about us. But I believe in the proper steps, and right now we have or we understand what wins are for us.”
Nets Notes: Clowney, Demin, Saraf, Mann, Williams, Claxton
The Nets are off to a 0-5 start and Noah Clowney has been part of the problem. The forward has scored just 5.2 points per game while shooting 25% from the field, mostly from beyond the arc. The coaching staff wants Clowney to keep firing away.
“Just keep shooting it,” coach Jordi Fernández told Dan Martin of the New York Post. “Don’t overthink it.”
The front office picked up Clowney’s 2026/27 option at the start of the season. The third-year forward/center averaged 9.1 points and 3.9 rebounds in 22.7 minutes per contest last season, shooting just 35.8% from the floor in 46 games.
“We need Noah,” Fernández said. “Noah is a big presence for our team. [He has] toughness, size, shooting, rebounding [and] winning plays. We need more verticality and he’s a big part of doing that.”
Here’s more on the Nets:
- Fernandez sat rookies Egor Demin and Ben Saraf for the entire fourth quarter of their 117-112 loss to the Hawks on Wednesday, as the coach decided to go with veterans Tyrese Martin and Terance Mann, Brian Lewis of the New York Post notes. Demin has shot 9-for-22 from beyond the arc this season but hasn’t even attempted a shot inside the three-point line. “Yeah, he’s got to figure it out. Obviously, I want him to touch the paint,” Fernández said. “We all, everybody, will figure it out that he’s a threat from the three-point line, but he cannot play just behind the three.”
- As for Mann, whose three-year, $47MM extension he signed with the Clippers last October kicked in this season, he’s averaging 11.2 points in 25.4 minutes per game while shooting 54.6% from the field. “Terance has a good overall feel for the game,” Fernandez said, per Andrew Crane of the New York Post. “He does a little bit of everything, and I like when he’s aggressive and he gets assists when he gets to the rim and he sprays the ball.”
- Ziaire Williams has a “small, very minor” back fracture after a hard fall on Sunday in San Antonio. He’s hopeful he can return this Sunday when the Nets host the Sixers, according to Crane. “It locked up on me,” Williams said. “… But it’s something that can’t get worse. So at this point, it’s just a pain tolerance thing, so as soon as the pain just goes down, it’s never gonna be perfect, at least right now.”
- Brooklyn ranks last in the league in defensive efficiency ranks and needs defensive anchor Nic Claxton to step up his game, C.J. Holmes of the New York Daily News writes. “It’s very simple. I mean, Nic is a very good defender. He’s not happy,” Fernandez said. “He has high standards and he’s hard on himself… We’re all together here. I believe in him. We had a great stretch last year when we were high level offensively, and right now we’re not. So, continuity, work together, believe in each other; all those things are important. And you know, we know he’s a great rim protector. We know he can get deflections. We know he can run the floor. We know he can rebound. So those things I believe he can do. And he believes.”
And-Ones: Core Trios, MVP, Hayward, NBA App
Tim Bontemps of ESPN ranks the core trios of every NBA team based on their current and future value. Unsurprisingly, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren of the defending champion Thunder sit atop Bontemps’ tiered list, followed by the Nuggets trio of Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon.
Bontemps’ final tier (“rebuilding”) is comprised of the Nets (Nic Claxton, Egor Demin, Nolan Traore), Trail Blazers (Toumani Camara, Donovan Clingan, Shaedon Sharpe), Jazz (Ace Bailey, Walter Clayton, Lauri Markkanen), and Wizards (Bilal Coulibaly, Tre Johnson, Alex Sarr).
Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- Using six categories (narrative score, expected ridiculous stats score, team quality score, clutch score, player impact score, and perceived value score), Zach Harper of The Athletic takes a stab at predicting who will win the NBA’s MVP award in 2025/26. Jokic, who was the runner-up last season, earns the most points (55/60), followed by reigning MVP Gilgeous-Alexander (50/60) and Giannis Antetokounmpo (50/60), who finished third in voting last season. However, Harper’s “gut” says Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (45/60) will claim his first MVP.
- Former NBA All-Star Gordon Hayward, who retired last summer after a 14-year career in the league, is returning to his alma mater in a new role. According to a Butler press release written by John Dedman, Hayward will be an executive basketball advisor for the Bulldogs’ men’s basketball program. In addition to advising in multiple areas, Hayward will also serve as a mentor to student-athletes, with a focus on leadership and professional development.
- The NBA announced in a press release that it has launched a new multi-platform streaming offering as well as the “reimagined” NBA TV, both of which can be accessed via the NBA App. There’s also a new flagship program on NBA TV and the NBA App called “The Association,” which features MJ Acosta-Ruiz, David Fizdale, Rudy Gay, Chris Haynes and John Wall, among others.
Nets Notes: Bufkin, Traore, Saraf, Clowney, Mann
The Nets selected three prospects — Egor Demin, Nolan Traore and Ben Saraf — who project to be point guards in the first round of the 2025 draft. So why did they trade for Kobe Bufkin?
“I don’t think you ever have enough ball-handlers, right? Making plays for others is always important,” explained head coach Jordi Fernandez (story via Brian Lewis of The New York Post).
As Lewis writes, Bufkin was on Brooklyn’s radar in the 2023 draft, but he was selected No. 15 overall, six spots before the Nets picked Noah Clowney. Bufkin also played his college ball at Michigan under Juwan Howard, who is now an assistant coach with the Nets.
“Obviously (Howard) knows the guy, and everything was very positive between Juwan, who knows him and speaks highly and positively about him,” Fernandez said. “We also have our scouting department that knew (him). … We were very high on him during the draft, and it was an opportunity to bring him in. So you put all that together, and that’s the reason why he’s here.”
For his part, Bufkin says he’s happy to be around a familiar face in Brooklyn.
“It’s definitely a big level of comfort. (Howard) is like family,” Bufkin said. “I spent two years with him. He was a mentor for me, kind of taught me about the league before I got to the league, what to expect, what not to expect. So it was good to see him.”
Here’s more on the Nets:
- Fernandez calls Traore’s speed his “superpower” but he acknowledges the French guard needs to improve in multiple areas to be a regular contributor as a rookie, Lewis writes in a subscriber-only story. “Yeah, there’s no saving here in the NBA. So he’s gotta play really, extremely hard every second he has the opportunity to play,” Fernandez said. “Nothing will be given to him, so they have to earn it. So far, we’re very happy with him. That’s his superpower, but his handle, he understands the game, he’s played in professional leagues for more than one year, so he has that experience, too. And you’ll see it soon. So, I trust him. I trust everything. His shooting, he’s putting time and work into everything and adjusting it to the NBA. It’s just going to take time. But, like I said, the first thing is come here, work and earn your minutes.”
- Veterans Michael Porter Jr. and Nic Claxton have been impressed by Saraf’s maturity and poise in training camp, Lewis adds in a third article for The New York Post. The Israeli guard noted he already has three professional seasons under his belt despite only being 19 years old. “I feel like, yeah, playing like it’s going to be my fourth year playing professional, so I’ve got some experience. With playoff games I played with full arenas, so I think it’s helped me,” Saraf said. “And my last teammates, my last vets … I’m trying to learn from each one of them. I don’t feel like a rookie here. I am a rookie, I’ll do all my duties, but it’s basketball, so I’m just going out there and playing.”
- Third-year big man Noah Clowney added several pounds of muscle this offseason and he believes his improved strength will help him level up several facets of his game, writes C.J. Holmes of The New York Daily News. Most importantly, Clowney is hoping for improved durability after being limited to just 46 games last season. “My primary goal is just to stay healthy, and outside of staying healthy, just to get better every game,” Clowney said. “I learn something from each game, but I don’t like to make the same mistake over and over again. That’s the goal.”
- As Lewis writes for The New York Post (subscription required), trade acquisition Terance Mann is used to being one of the younger players on his NBA teams but he’s currently the oldest Net (he turns 29 next month) on the league’s youngest roster. Fernandez says Mann, who grew up mere blocks away from where Barclays Center now stands, has impressed the team with his leadership. “He showed up and worked every single day, and now he can show others why he’s the type of player he is and he’s accomplished what he’s accomplished,” Fernandez said. “I think leading with your voice is great, but leading by example is even better, and that’s what Terance so far has been doing.”
Nets Notes: Thomas, Highsmith, Demin, Powell, Claxton
Cam Thomas signed his qualifying offer worth just under $6MM earlier this month after the restricted free agent couldn’t come to terms on a contract with the Nets. That suggests that Thomas won’t be on the roster beyond this season but general manager Sean Marks tried to downplay that aspect of the failed negotiations.
“It’s maybe the ugly part of the business when you can’t find a common ground,” Marks said, per Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link). “… I also don’t want to jump to conclusions because a common ground couldn’t be met this summer doesn’t mean he’s not a Net in the future or throughout the season.”
Thomas struck a similar tone with the media.
“I’d rather control my situation,” he said. “As a player, that’s the type of control you want in your situation…Just going to finish the year and we’ll see what happens. But I’m happy to be here to play in front of fans again.”
Thomas will now roll the dice on himself, as he’ll be an unrestricted free agent next summer. That outcome excites the high-scoring guard, according to Brian Lewis of the New York Post (Twitter links).
“It was more pros to me taking the QO than taking any other deal,” Thomas said. “You want to keep the power that you have as a player as much as you can, as long as you can. So that was really the main deciding factor in taking the qualifying offer.”
Here’s more on the Nets:
- Forward Haywood Highsmith, acquired from the Heat in mid-August, tore the meniscus in his right knee during an offseason workout and underwent surgery to address the injury. He believes he’s on track to suit up by opening night, Lewis reports (Twitter link). “Right now, I’m six-and-a-half weeks out of surgery, so I’m doing jogging, spot-shooting, movements and workouts,” Highsmith said. “Not 100 percent. Light contact. And the plan for me is to be ready for the start of the regular season.”
- Rookies Egor Demin and Drake Powell will be limited at the start of training camp because of injuries, according to C.J. Holmes of the New York Daily News. Demin, the No. 8 pick of the draft, has been recovering from a plantar fascia tear suffered after Summer League. Powell, selected with the No. 22 pick, missed Summer League with left knee tendinopathy and has yet to be cleared for full 5-on-5 work. “I’m not a doctor, so it’s hard for me to even tell what’s going on with it,” Demin said. “So, for me, it’s just important to stay present and I’m trying to focus on whatever plan I have from the physicians, right, and whatever timing I have from them.”
- Nic Claxton signed a four-year, $100MM contract to remain with the team last summer but the big man averaged fewer points, rebounds and blocks than in the previous season, in part due a nagging back injury. Claxton said his back is fine now and that he’s mentally and physically ready to go for camp, Lewis tweets.
Lakers Rumors: LeBron, Finney-Smith, Reaves, Luka, Centers
With one day until LeBron James must make a decision on his $52.6MM player option for the 2025/26 season, ESPN’s Dave McMenamin is hearing the same thing his colleague Shams Charania was a month ago: James is expected to exercise that option to play out the final year of his current contract.
James has considered retirement every offseason since 2023, according to McMenamin, but it sounds like he’s committed to playing a record-setting 23rd NBA season in ’25/26. A source familiar with LeBron’s thinking also tells ESPN that he’s not entering next season with “any certainty that it will be his last.”
The other Lakers forward with a player option decision to make, Dorian Finney-Smith, is interested in returning to Los Angeles, a source tells ESPN. However, it sounds like he’ll also have interest in adding multiple years to his current contract, either via opting in and extending or by opting out to sign a new contract. If the only way for him to stay with the Lakers is by picking up his option with no guarantee of an extension, he may test the open market, McMenamin explains.
As McMenamin writes, head coach J.J. Redick trusts Finney-Smith, who was popular in the Lakers’ locker room, so I’d expect the team to try to lock him up. But if he does walk, it would at least open up the $14.1MM non-taxpayer mid-level exception, giving L.A. more options to replace him in free agency, McMenamin notes. The club projects to just have the $5.7MM taxpayer mid-level exception available if James and Finney-Smith return on their option salaries.
Here’s more on the Lakers:
- The Lakers understood that Austin Reaves would turn down the four-year, $89MM extension offer they put on the table for him, but the team didn’t want to send the wrong signal by not offering it, says McMenamin. According to his sources, the two sides remain motivated to work out a new deal next summer, when Reaves will have the ability to opt out of his current contract.
- A source close to Luka Doncic tells ESPN that Mark Walter‘s agreement to buy a majority stake in the Lakers was viewed as a positive development from the star guard’s perspective. “You always want the wealthiest owners, so that speaks for itself,” the source said to McMenamin. “And his track record speaks for itself. … (Doncic) wants to win. This owner’s proven that he wants to win. So this is a plus-plus.”
- McMenamin confirms a couple more Luka-related notes, citing sources who say the former Mavericks star remains motivated by how he was treated on his way out of Dallas, and committed to a training and nutrition program this offseason; and writing that Lakers assistant Greg St. Jean will be a part of the Slovenian national team’s coaching staff this summer as Doncic represents his home country in the EuroBasket tournament. The former was initially reported by Dan Woike of The Athletic, while the latter was first reported by Andrej Miljković of Ekipa24.
- Addressing the Lakers’ hunt for a center, president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka said during a Thursday night press conference that the team has been “super active” and will “turn over every stone” as it seeks a solution, tweets Woike. Nic Claxton of the Nets and Robert Williams of the Trail Blazers are among the possible trade targets the Lakers have “mulled internally” since last season, according to McMenamin, who also mentions several other previously reported names.
Trade Rumors: Lakers, Bucks, Durant, Wolves
The Lakers‘ obvious need for a center is hurting their chances of finding one, according to Anthony Irwin of ClutchPoints. Sources close to the team and around the league tell Irwin that the offseason pursuit of a big man has been frustrating so far because rival clubs are hoping to take advantage of L.A.’s predicament.
“The worst spot you can put yourself in is trying to negotiate while everyone knows about your desperation,” a former executive told Irwin. “The whole league knows that not only do the Lakers need a starting center and probably a backup, but they need to bring someone in who Luka (Doncic) is going to want to play with. They basically have to hope someone else reaches their current level of desperation so that the talks can be held on even footing.”
Jaxson Hayes, who’s headed toward free agency, took over as the starting center after Anthony Davis was traded to Dallas in February. He put up solid numbers during the regular season, but was ineffective in a first-round playoff loss to Minnesota and wasn’t used at all in the deciding Game 5.
Irwin hears from sources close to the team that the Lakers hope to trade for their starting center and use the $5.7MM taxpayer mid-level exception to sign a backup. According to Irwin’s sources, L.A. has been involved in discussions with the Nets about Nic Claxton, the Trail Blazers about Robert Williams and the Jazz about Walker Kessler. He adds that potential free agent targets include Brook Lopez and Clint Capela.
Here are a few more trade-related notes and rumors from around the NBA:
- The Bucks remain confident about keeping Giannis Antetokounmpo and will focus on trades and free agent signings to complement the two-time MVP, according to Bobby Marks of ESPN. The Khris Middleton trade in February moved Milwaukee below the projected tax line for 2025/26, creating access to the $14.1MM non-taxpayer mid-level exception. The Bucks also have the $5.1MM bi-annual exception, though ESPN’s story points out that it will be difficult financially to use both exceptions while re-signing Lopez and Bobby Portis.
- The Suns are finding it hard to get value for Kevin Durant because there isn’t an “open market,” explains Brian Windhorst of ESPN (YouTube link). Durant has manipulated the market by insisting that he’ll only sign an extension with Houston, San Antonio or Miami, and Windhorst says that advantage has given those teams leverage to limit their offers. He also points out that Durant is Phoenix’s only major trade asset due to its insistence on keeping Devin Booker, so it’s important to maximize the return.
- The Timberwolves seem more likely to keep the 31st pick in the draft than the 17th, writes Chris Hine of The Star Tribune. The first-round pick, which was acquired from New York last fall, comes with a $4.2MM salary, which could hamper the effort to re-sign Naz Reid, Nickeil Alexander-Walker and possibly Julius Randle while staying below the second apron. Hine hears that the Wolves’ front office likes having the first pick in the second round and expects to get a lot of offers between the first and second days of the draft.
Lakers Notes: Okongwu, Center Targets, Finney-Smith
Asked during an appearance on the Straight Fire with Jason McIntyre podcast whether he has heard any buzz linking the Lakers to Onyeka Okongwu, ESPN’s Dave McMenamin said Los Angeles inquired with the Hawks about the big man earlier this year. McMenamin believes Okongwu was one of the centers Lakers president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka asked Luka Doncic about before the team reached an agreement to acquire Mark Williams.
“I do know that the Lakers made a call to the Hawks around the trade deadline about Okongwu,” McMenamin said (52:38 mark; hat tip to Ron Gutterman of Lakers Nation). “I think lob threat, athleticism, absolutely. In terms of being a perfect fit, maybe not. They might not get a perfect fit though. Clint Capela of ’17/18 probably was a perfect fit, but we’re in ’25/26 now. So that is kind of the spot they’re gonna be in.”
After voiding their deal with Charlotte for Williams in February due to concerns about his physical, the Lakers figure to make it a priority this summer to add a center in free agency or via trade. While there has been speculation about more ambitious trade targets like Nets big man Nic Claxton, McMenamin wonders if it would be in L.A.’s best interest to take a more conservative approach this offseason.
“I am of the opinion to not go all-in on someone like a Claxton, etc. making $20-30 million (per year),” he told McIntyre. “… They’re going to have the taxpayer mid-level available to them, so I’d try to go and get a guy at that level and if he doesn’t prove to be the best fit, make sure you’re holding on to one of your picks and then you can try to pursue something come February.”
Here’s more on the Lakers:
- Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report takes a closer look at how the Lakers might address their hole in the middle this season. Pincus suggests that Daniel Gafford would be an ideal trade target, though he wonders if the Mavericks would be reluctant to make another deal with L.A. so soon after the Doncic blockbuster. Pincus also mentions the Raptors‘ Jakob Poeltl and the Magic‘s Goga Bitadze as possibilities, but acknowledges that Toronto will likely be reluctant to part with Poeltl and that Bitadze is more of a backup than a starter.
- Dorian Finney-Smith‘s contract situation is up in the air heading into the summer, since it’s unclear whether he plans to pick up the $15.4MM player option on his current contract or opt out in search of a new deal. However, as Khobi Price of The Orange County Register writes in a subscriber-only story, it sounds like the veteran forward wants to stick with the Lakers — during his exit interview, he referred to his half-season with the team as “amazing.”
- Assuming Finney-Smith remains with the Lakers, McMenamin expects him to be a valuable part of next season’s roster, as he said on his aforementioned podcast appearance with McIntyre. “I think Dorian Finney-Smith will be a major contributor on this year’s Lakers team,” McMenamin said. “He did not come in healthy and it took him some time to get some rhythm. With him having the comfort factor, the health factor on his side, I think he’ll be right there with being considered the (Lakers’) third-best player along with Austin Reaves.”
Lakers Notes: Reaves, Offseason, Centers, Streit, Draft
There has been speculation that the Lakers might look to trade Austin Reaves this summer to address the team’s needs on the wing and/or frontcourt. He struggled in the Lakers’ first-round loss to Minnesota after a strong regular season and is on a below-market-value contract, which could make it tricky to extend him prior to 2026 free agency — he’s considered likely to decline his $14.9MM player option for 2026/27, per Khobi Price of The Southern California News Group.
However, president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka made it clear that the Lakers highly value the shooting guard when he referred to Reaves as one of the team’s three pillars, alongside Luka Doncic and LeBron James, Price writes.
“When your foundation for those three players is that they’re players of high character and a highly competitive nature, that’s the perfect starting point, to have three players like that,” Pelinka responded when asked about the benefit of having training camp ahead of the 2025/26 season.
“LeBron (is) a selfless player, high character. All he cares about is winning. Luka Doncic, the same. Austin Reaves, the same. When you get those three pillars in a training camp environment and you’re starting to build an ethos around them, that’s a great starting point.”
Here’s more on the Lakers:
- In a subscriber-only column for The Los Angeles Times, Bill Plaschke explains why he believes it’s in the team’s best interest to trade Reaves for a center, despite the impressive strides he’s made over the years. Plaschke is a big fan of Reaves’ game, toughness and story, but says his skill set isn’t an ideal complement for Doncic and argues he’s the team’s best remaining trade chip outside of Doncic and James, who aren’t going anywhere. If they want to make a major upgrade in the middle, moving Reaves is the Lakers’ best option to do so, Plaschke contends.
- The Lakers were at the center of attention last spring and summer amid a coaching change, but there hasn’t been much buzz about them this offseason, writes Dan Woike of The Los Angeles Times (subscriber link). According to Woike, the Lakers have shown “no interest” in trading Reaves unless they receive a “top-tier” big man in return, and there aren’t any centers like that on the market right now. Nic Claxton of the Nets and Daniel Gafford of the Mavericks have been linked to the Lakers, Woike notes, but neither is an elite center or a lock to be heading to L.A., for various reasons.
- The Lakers parted ways with strength coach Ed Streit last week, people with knowledge of the situation tell Woike. Streit, whom Woike describes as a “well-liked” member of the franchise, was initially hired as an assistant strength coach in 2019 before being promoted in 2021.
- Los Angeles controls the 55th pick in next month’s draft. LZ Granderson of The Los Angeles Times would like to see the Lakers draft a mature, experienced center prospect with their lone selection.