Pacific Notes: Lakers, Hachimura, Suns, Clippers
The Lakers already made their big move of the year by trading for Luka Doncic mid-season. Now, after a five-game playoff run that ended with a loss to the Timberwolves, the team has to figure out how to build the team around him, writes Yossi Gozlan of The Third Apron (Substack link).
The critical pieces this summer will be the player options for LeBron James and Dorian Finney-Smith. James is reportedly not expected to take a discount deal in what will likely be his last contract, and while he’s expected to return to Los Angeles, it’s not a certainty.
The Lakers could use a mid-range deal like Gabe Vincent‘s $11.5MM or Maxi Kleber‘s $11MM, along with Shake Milton‘s non-guaranteed deal, to bring in a starting big man, but with only one tradable first-round pick available, the return will likely be modest unless the team is willing to include a young player like Dalton Knecht, Gozlan notes.
Finney-Smith has a $15.4MM player option. He is extension-eligible and serves a valuable role as the Lakers’ best wing defender. Austin Reaves is also extension-eligible, but the limitations on what L.A. can offer him make it unlikely a deal gets signed. Finally, Doncic himself will be able to sign an extension on August 2 worth up to a maximum of $229MM over four years.
We have more from around the Pacific division:
- Rui Hachimura was named a Lakers starter by new head coach J.J. Redick in the fall and he repaid that trust with a strong, well-rounded season, writes Khobi Price of the Orange County Register. His shooting, rebounding, and defense were crucial for a team without much depth on the wing. However, with one year and $18.3MM left on his contract, if an extension isn’t reached this summer, Hachimura’s name will likely come up in trade talks as the Lakers look to build a future-facing roster around Doncic.
- The second round of interviews for the Suns‘ head coaching vacancy will begin this week, reports John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 FM Phoenix (via Twitter). Phoenix has reportedly narrowed its search down to nine candidates: Sean Sweeney, Micah Nori, Steve Hetzel, Dave Bliss, James Borrego, David Fizdale, Johnnie Bryant, Jordan Ott, and Chris Quinn. The names are interesting for such a veteran team, as only Borrego and Fizdale have previous NBA head coaching experience. The Suns hope the new coach can help build a program from scratch while aligning with owner Mat Ishbia.
- The Suns are facing another lawsuit, the fourth in seven months from a current or former member of the organization, writes ESPN’s Baxter Holmes. The suit, filed on behalf of Gene Traylor, the team’s director of safety, security, and risk management, alleges discrimination, harassment, and retaliation following a presentation by Traylor of risks to the team’s reputation or security. It also alleges that the team discouraged him from taking leave after a cancer diagnosis. “Ms. [Sheree] Wright and her client have made absurd accusations of misconduct surrounding the security department of the Phoenix Suns,” a Suns spokesperson responded to ESPN. Traylor’s team, in response, has claimed that the Suns are trying to publicly discredit Wright, who is on Traylor’s legal team, in an effort to shift focus from their own culpability.
- The Clippers will enter the summer with 13 players under contract, Gozlan writes in his offseason preview (Substack link). Much of the offseason revolves around the player options of James Harden and Nicolas Batum, who has stated that next year will likely be his last season. After a very successful regular season, Harden is expected to decline his option and look for a pay bump, and Gozlan suggests aligning his contract with Kawhi Leonard‘s on a two-year deal could make the most sense for both sides. The Clippers can sign Harden for up to four years, but in that case it’s likely the last two years would be at least partially non-guaranteed, Gozlan writes. The Clippers will also have access to the $14.1MM non-taxpayer mid-level, with which they could add another veteran. The team could also try to sell high on Norman Powell, who is coming off a career year and is extension-eligible.
Lakers Notes: Game 2, Redick, Hachimura, Offense, Defense
The Lakers evened their first-round series with Minnesota at one game apiece on Tuesday evening, writes Dave McMenamin of ESPN. Head coach JJ Redick called a timeout to tear into his team after Los Angeles’ lead was cut from 22 points to 11 in the third quarter, and the Lakers responded with a 9-0 run to regain control of Game 2.
“That’s JJ,” LeBron James said of the first-year coach’s outburst. “Obviously we need to listen to the message and not how he’s delivering it. … I thought we responded after that.”
Redick was particularly complimentary of Rui Hachimura, who remained aggressive despite having to exit the game in the first quarter after being hit in the face.
“He played like a warrior tonight,” Redick said of Hachimura. “I’m sure that he is probably in the X-ray room right now. There were a few plays that he made just getting deflections and disrupting plays. … He was awesome.”
Hachimura will wear a protective mask for a “little bit” for precautionary reasons, but imaging was negative, Redick said today (Twitter link via McMenamin).
Here’s more on the Lakers:
- While Redick was pleased with the team’s defensive effort in Game 2, he said Thursday that the offense has plenty of room for improvement heading into Game 3, per Khobi Price of The Southern California News Group. The Lakers have averaged just 94.5 points in the first two games of the series. “We were more organized (compared to Game 1),” Redick said. “But the biggest thing for us is we have to find ways to create a little bit more thrust and pace. That’s probably the biggest thing. And we’ll continue to fine-tune that.”
- Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards admitted he has been confused by the Lakers’ defensive strategy, according to Price. “I don’t know – it seemed like every time I caught the ball, [the Lakers] kind of went into a zone in a sense,” Edwards responded when asked about Minnesota’s lack of ball and player movement in Game 2. “It was kind of confusing at times, but we’ll watch film and be ready.” Edwards had 25 points in Game 2, but he attempted 22 shots and had zero assists and two turnovers after finishing with nine assists and one turnover in Game 1.
- Edwards was flummoxed, but star guard Luka Doncic said the Lakers didn’t actually alter their defensive approach between games, Price adds. “We did the same game plan,” said Doncic, who finished with game highs of 31 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists in 42 minutes. “We didn’t really change much. It was just a question of if we were gonna be more physical or not. And we were for 48 minutes. We learned from the last game. And we just stuck to it.”
Lakers Notes: OKC Win, Defense, James, Doncic, DFS, Reaves, Bronny
The Lakers made a statement with their resounding victory over the Western Conference’s top team on Sunday, Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times writes. They hammered the Thunder, 126-99.
“We know it’s the final stretch into the full season, so we’re just trying to rack up great habits,” LeBron James said.
Luka Doncic had 30 points and six assists, while James contributed 19 points. They also made a season-high 22 three-pointers.
We have more on the Lakers:
- The Lakers’ defense was just as stellar as their offense on Sunday, as they held OKC 21 points below its average for the season. MVP candidate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was limited to 26 points and didn’t get to the free throw line. “Defending the way we defended and holding this team under 100 with a [96] possession game, that’s elite defense. That’s gonna give you a chance to win every night,” coach JJ Redick said, per Khobi Price of the Orange County Register.
- It’s anyone’s guess which players will suit up for the rematch against the Thunder on Tuesday. James and Doncic are listed as questionable due to groin strains, while Dorian Finney-Smith and Austin Reaves are also questionable with ankle injuries. Price tweets. Gabe Vincent (knee) is a 50-50 proposition too, while Rui Hachimura (knee) is out.
- The Los Angeles Times’ Bill Plaschke says he was wrong to criticize the Lakers for drafting Bronny James. Plaschke notes Bronny averaged 22 points, five rebounds and five assists in his last 11 games with the G League’s South Bay Lakers. He scored 30 or more points three times at that level and showed he has the potential to develop into a legitimate NBA player.
Return Of James, Hachimura Gives Lakers Fully Healthy Roster
The results weren’t good Saturday night, but the Lakers can take solace in having all their rotation players available for the first time in several weeks, writes Dave McMenamin of ESPN. LeBron James returned after missing seven games with a groin strain, and Rui Hachimura was back after sitting out 10 games with patellar tendinopathy in his left knee.
Saturday’s 146-115 loss to the Bulls dropped L.A. into fourth place in the West, a half-game behind Denver and three ahead of the Clippers and Timberwolves in the battle for a top-six seed and an automatic playoff berth. Coach J.J. Redick said finishing in the top six is his goal for the stretch drive so his team can have a week to rest and prepare for the playoffs.
“I think that’s a good way to look at it. … ground zero,” Redick said. “These next 12 games, you’ve got to refind your way. It’s a perpetually flowing river that we’ve all of a sudden run into a beaver’s (dam) … and we got to get ready to get the water flowing again.”
James logged 31 minutes in his first game action in two weeks. After finishing with 17 points, six rebounds, four assists and three steals, he told reporters that he’s taking it “day by day” in his recovery process.
Hachimura, who had five points and two rebounds in 18 minutes, said his knee is only about “70-80%.” He’s expected to be on a restriction of 20-24 minutes per game for the rest of the season.
“My knee is going to be like that for a while, I think,” he said. “I can’t really get back to 100% right away. I got to rest for a long time to get back to normal. But I don’t think we have that, so we just got to maintain and manage it.”
Continuity appeared to be an issue for the Lakers on Saturday as they turned in their worst defensive performance of the season and committed 21 turnovers, including five by James and seven by Luka Doncic. They were outscored 81-53 in the second half, and the 146 total points they surrendered matches a franchise record for a non-overtime home game, according to Josh Dubow of The Associated Press (Twitter link).
McMenamin points out that the Lakers are entering another tough portion of their schedule as they fight for playoff seeding. They’ll start a four-game trip Monday in Orlando and will play eight of their last 12 on the road. They have three back-to-backs left and just four games remaining against teams that aren’t in the top eight of either conference.
“I think we’re in a great spot,” Doncic said. “Obviously, today wasn’t a good game for us, but I think we’re in a great spot. We’ve got to play hard every game to try not to get in the play-in and try to get the highest seed we can.”
Lakers Notes: Schedule, LeBron, Bronny, Redick
The Lakers were relieved to break even in an exhausting stretch of games over the past week, writes Khobi Price of The Orange County Register. The devastating wildfires that hit Los Angeles in January caused several games to be postponed until later in the season. That resulted in the team playing six times in eight days, with three back-to-backs.
“Big picture … feel good that you go 3-3 in this stretch,” coach J.J. Redick said. “It was going to be tough no matter what. The added game made it harder. I don’t think the game that exists today in the NBA and the modern NBA player is like (built to do this). I wouldn’t be either if this was what I came up in and this was the game that I had to play every night. It’s different than when I first started. You’re not built to play six games in eight nights. The game doesn’t allow you to play six games in eight nights. It’s just impossible. That’s why we, I don’t think, have four in five anymore.”
L.A. played without four of its starters in Thursday’s loss to Milwaukee as Redick, whose team was already short-handed due to injuries, tried to avoid overworking anyone. That game was originally set for Tuesday, but it had to be rescheduled when a San Antonio matchup from January 11 was moved to Monday. Rookie wing Dalton Knecht and two-way guard Jordan Goodwin were the only Lakers to play in each of the last six games.
“What our guys just went through, it’s difficult,” Redick added. “And the old heads are gonna talk about how physical it was in the (1980s) and (1990s) and that’s fine. But the level of physicality in our game and the way that the court has to be covered and all the movement, it’s tough. And I’m just glad to be on the other side of it and hopefully going forward we are healthy and can make a push here.”
There’s more from Los Angeles:
- LeBron James has been cleared to return for tonight’s contest against Chicago, according to Dave McMenamin of ESPN (Twitter link). He sat out seven games with a groin injury he suffered two weeks ago. Rui Hachimura, who has missed the last 10 games with patellar tendinopathy, has also been upgraded to available, along with Luka Doncic, Dorian Finney-Smith, Austin Reaves, Jarred Vanderbilt and Gabe Vincent, McMenamin adds (Twitter link).
- Bronny James offered some evidence that he can succeed at the NBA level during Thursday’s game, McMenamin states in a full story. With nearly half the roster unavailable, Bronny played 30 minutes and finished with a season-high 17 points on 7-for-10 shooting, along with five assists, three rebounds and a blocked shot. “Not surprised by tonight,” Redick said. “I think his confidence is growing. … I think the next step is just becoming an elite-conditioned athlete. Because when (he) does that, with his physical tools and his burst and his handle — and we think he’s going to be an above-average to really good NBA shooter — he’s going to have a chance to really make an impact.”
- Redick is proving he can handle the challenges of being an NBA head coach, contends Mirjam Swanson of The Orange County Register, who admits she was among the doubters when he was hired last June.
Pacific Notes: Butler, Zubac, Lue, Van Gundy, LaVine, LeBron, Hachimura
Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. became one of the few top executives in recent history to trade for a former teammate when acquiring Jimmy Butler at this year’s deadline. Dunleavy, who played with Butler in Chicago, wasn’t deterred by the fact that some of the forward’s stints with prior teams had ended poorly, nor by Butler’s apparent willingness to hit free agency in 2025 (he wound up extending with the Warriors). Now, as NBA insider Jake Fischer writes, the move is paying dividends for surging Golden State.
“There’s nobody who could explain the intricacies of Jimmy Butler better than Mike Dunleavy,” a league source said to Fischer.
The Warriors knew they needed top-end talent, having reportedly pursued Lauri Markkanen and Paul George in the offseason and Kevin Durant at the deadline. In Butler, they acquired the impact player they sought. The Warriors are now 15-3 since the trade, and by extending Butler, they’re hoping to show him how much they value what he adds to the organization.
“This is a commitment to each other,” Dunleavy said. “I didn’t want this to be a temporary thing or a rental or anything like that. I think he feels the same way, on the backside of his career and doesn’t want to be jumping around.”
The Warriors signed Butler to a two-year, $110.9MM extension when he arrived in Golden State.
“I am wanted here,” Butler said. “I’m appreciated here. I’m grateful that [Dunleavy] saw what I could bring to this organization and this team.”
We have more from the Pacific Division:
- The Clippers‘ confidence in Ivica Zubac continues to grow, Janis Carr of The Orange County Register writes. Zubac is averaging career highs of 16.4 points and 12.6 rebounds per game this season. He had a 28-point, 20-rebound game on Tuesday after having nearly recorded a triple-double (17 points, 14 boards and eight assists) on Sunday. “He’s doing a good job of taking his time, making the right pass and making the right play and so he’s only going to keep getting better,” head coach Tyronn Lue said. “Give him credit for what he’s doing.”
- Lue missed Tuesday’s game due to back pain, according to the Los Angeles Times’ Broderick Turner. He previously missed four of the past six Clippers‘ games due to the injury. Assistant coach Jeff Van Gundy also missed Tuesday’s game due to personal reasons.
- Kings guard Zach LaVine was unavailable on Wednesday due to personal reasons, but was active for their Thursday matchup against the Bulls, K.C. Johnson of Chicago Sports Network reports (Twitter link). He’s averaging 22.7 points per game on .527/.441/.894 splits in his first 18 outings with Sacramento.
- Lakers coach JJ Redick said he’s “hopeful” both LeBron James and Rui Hachimura will be able to return this Saturday, according to Sportskeeda’s Mark Medina (Twitter link). A report on Sunday indicated that James was expected to miss at least another week, so if he does indeed return on Saturday, he’d narrowly beat that timeline. Hachimura’s Saturday return seems more likely, since that original report suggested he would be able to come back within the week.
Injury Updates: Jokic, Murray, Hachimura, Giddey, Ball, Robinson
The Nuggets are missing Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray for Wednesday’s matchup with the Lakers, writes Tim MacMahon of ESPN. Both players also sat out Monday’s win at Golden State.
Jokic has a left ankle impingement as well as a contusion on his right elbow. Murray is dealing with a sprained right ankle and had difficulty moving during a session with assistant coach John Beckett more than two hours before the game, according to MacMahon.
During a pregame meeting with the media before the final determinations were made, coach Michael Malone said, “you listen to your body,” adding that he trusts the players and training staff to make the right decisions. He reacted angrily to a suggestion that the Nuggets are intentionally resting their best players.
“I think that’s just a bunch of bulls–t,” Malone said. “I mean, in the last 10 years, Nikola Jokic has played the second most games in the NBA. Ten years. And the guys in that top 10, none of them are superstars. So if Nikola is not playing, it’s not because he’s sitting. It’s not because he needs rest. It’s because he’s hurt and he’s trying to play through things that most wouldn’t. We’re at a point right now where we have to do what’s best for not just Nikola, but for all our guys, as we move forward and try to close out this season.”
There’s more injury news to pass along:
- Lakers forward Rui Hachimura is sitting out his eighth straight game tonight due to tendinopathy in his left knee, but coach J.J. Redick said he’s making progress and is considered day-to-day, according to Dave McMenamin of ESPN (Twitter link). Hachimura has been taking part in three-on-three scrimmages and participated in warm-ups before tonight’s contest.
- Bulls guard Josh Giddey, who had been sidelined since March 10 with a sprained right ankle, is making his return in Wednesday’s game at Phoenix. Coach Billy Donovan plans to give Giddey his normal workload of 30-32 minutes and said he may play again Thursday at Sacramento, tweets K.C. Johnson of Chicago Sports Network.
- Lonzo Ball didn’t accompany the Bulls on their six-game road trip, but he has started shooting with his injured wrist, Johnson adds (Twitter link). Donovan said Ball, who sprained the wrist in late February, still has a long road toward recovery.
- Knicks center Mitchell Robinson remains on a minutes restriction after returning last month from ankle surgery, but coach Tom Thibodeau views it as more of a guideline than a definite policy, per James L. Edwards III of The Athletic (Twitter link). Thibodeau said the limit is around 24 minutes, which is what Robinson played Monday night, but he’s willing to extend it depending on how his center feels.
LeBron James Expected To Miss At Least Another Week
Lakers star LeBron James is expected to remain sidelined for at least one more week as he continues to recover from a left groin strain, ESPN’s Shams Charania said today during an appearance on NBA Countdown (Twitter video link).
Charania first reported last Sunday that James’ groin ailment was expected to keep him on the shelf for a minimum of one-to-two weeks, so his latest report is consistent with that timeline.
According to Charania, James conducted an on-court workout on Sunday for the first time since sustaining the injury on March 8. However, the Lakers will be cautious with his return, Charania notes, given that it’s a soft-tissue injury and the 40-year-old has played significant minutes this season after participating in the Olympics last summer.
For what it’s worth, head coach J.J. Redick told reporters on Sunday that James is “ramping up” and is considered “day-to-day” (Twitter link via Mark Medina).
Los Angeles has struggled without James available in the past week. In addition to dropping the game in Boston in which he was hurt, the team has since lost road contests in Brooklyn, Milwaukee, and Denver as well. The Lakers are back in L.A. and will host Phoenix today to tip off a five-game home stand, which runs through next Saturday.
Although it sounds as if James will likely remain inactive for that entire home stand, there are some positive injury updates out of Los Angeles. Starting center Jaxson Hayes will be available vs. the Suns after missing four games due to a knee contusion, per the team. Dorian Finney-Smith (ankle) and Gabe Vincent (knee) are also available after being inactive on Friday in Denver.
Additionally, there’s optimism that Rui Hachimura, out since February 27 due to a knee issue of his own (patellar tendinopathy), will return within the week, according to Charania.
The 40-25 Lakers are in the midst of a battle to secure a playoff berth. They currently sit in fifth place in the Western Conference, 1.5 games back of the Rockets, Nuggets, and Grizzlies (all tied at 43-25) and two games ahead of the 39-28 Warriors.
Pacific Notes: Sabonis, Kings, Lakers, Reaves, Suns, Plumlee
Friday’s loss to Phoenix was the latest in a string of ugly defeats for the Kings, writes Chris Biderman of The Sacramento Bee. The Kings were blown out for the third game in a row and have now dropped four straight and five of their past six.
“I expected a way better performance out of our guys,” interim head coach Doug Christie said to open his postgame press conference.
Opposing teams have been feasting from behind the arc of late against Sacramento, which gave up a season-high 24 three-pointers to the Suns and made only eight of their own. As Biderman notes in another story, things went from bad to worse in the fourth quarter, when star center Domantas Sabonis appeared to aggravate the left hamstring injury that had sidelined him for the past six games.
“I think he wanted to continue to play,” Christie said. “But (there’s) no conversation. Sit down. When I see you do that, I’m not even playing around with that one. You are way too important to us.”
The Kings, who are currently the No. 9 seed in the West, have dropped to .500 at 33-33 and are only one game up on Dallas and 2.5 games ahead of Phoenix as they vie for a postseason spot.
Here’s more from the Pacific:
- Prior to Friday’s game in Denver, Lakers head coach JJ Redick said that LeBron James, Rui Hachimura and Jaxson Hayes all have a good chance to suit up within the next week, tweets Mike Trudell of Spectrum SportsNet. “They’re all very close to returning,” Redick said. James has missed the past three games with a groin strain, while Hachimura and Hayes are battling knee injuries. The Lakers wound up losing their fourth straight game to conclude their road trip.
- Austin Reaves was a bright spot for the Lakers in their shorthanded road loss to the Nuggets, as Dan Woike of The Los Angeles Times relays. Reaves wasn’t sure whether he’d play after injuring his right wrist on Thursday in Milwaukee, but he wound up recording 37 points, 13 assists, eight rebounds and four steals in 39 minutes. “We know when we’re full healthy and got everybody on the team that we have a really good chance to beat anybody,” Reaves said. “I just see this group, coming together, locking in on one common goal and that’s to win. And tonight I think is the biggest testament to that. Very shorthanded and went and played a really good basketball team with probably the best player in the world. And went toe to toe and had an opportunity to win it and just didn’t execute the last 50 seconds.”
- Suns star Kevin Durant credited the play and professionalism of Ryan Dunn and Oso Ighodaro following Friday’s victory over Sacramento, according to Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports (Twitter video link). “It was incredible. … Love playing with those guys and it’s something we need to build on,” Durant said. “We’ve been talking about it for so long, but each game matters, every possession matters. They came out there with that type of mindset.” Both rookies have been in and out of the rotation over the past month.
- Suns backup center Mason Plumlee was ejected for the second straight game on Friday after elbowing Sabonis in the neck area (YouTube link via ESPN). The play was reviewed and Plumlee’s actions were deemed “unnecessary and excessive with contact above the shoulders,” leading to a flagrant 2 foul and automatic ejection. Plumlee was also ejected from Wednesday’s game vs. Houston after a brief scuffle with Steven Adams.
Injury Notes: Davis, Lively, Gafford, JJJ, Sabonis, Lakers, Walker
There are no indications that the Mavericks are seriously considering shutting down Anthony Davis, Dereck Lively II or Daniel Gafford for the rest of the season, according to Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News. If any or all of the three currently injured big men are able to return while the Mavericks are mathematically in the play-in/postseason hunt, they’ll play, says Townsend.
A recent report suggested that it might be in Dallas’ best interest to preserve those players for the long run due to Kyrie Irving‘s season-ending injury and the team’s unfavorable spot in the standings.
“We know how good we can be when everyone’s healthy,” guard Dante Exum said. “But that’s one of the big things about the NBA: timing. Timing is everything. Runs and staying healthy during the season and going into playoffs, that’s a big part, and it’s something that we’re gonna have to figure out, quick.”
Davis is dealing with an adductor strain and Lively is recovering from a stress fracture. Both players, as we wrote, are on track to make their returns before the end of the season, if that’s the path the organization and players agree to. Gafford is recovering from an MCL sprain. His original six-week recovery timeline would have him back toward the end of March or the beginning of April, but there’s a sense he might be a little further off.
We have more injury notes from around the league:
- Jaren Jackson Jr. appears to be be nearing a return for the Grizzlies, as he was upgraded to questionable for Friday’s game against the Cavaliers, according to Damichael Cole of Memphis Commercial Appeal. The Grizzlies have gone 4-1 without Jackson, but his return will be a welcome one for a team with aspirations of competing for a title. Jackson has been considered week-to-week due to an ankle sprain.
- Domantas Sabonis hasn’t suited up for the Kings since March 1, but he was upgraded to questionable ahead of the team’s Thursday game against the Warriors, according to Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee (Twitter link). Sabonis, who is dealing with a hamstring injury, was ruled out just before the game, tweets Anderson. But the fact that his injury status was upgraded at all is a signal that his return should be just around the corner.
- Lakers center Jaxson Hayes and forward Rui Hachimura left the team’s road trip to return to L.A. alongside LeBron James for health reasons, Dave McMenamin of ESPN tweets. Both Hayes and Hachimura are battling knee injuries. They, along with James, are considered day-to-day, according to McMenamin. We previously wrote about James’ injury here.
- Sixers guard Lonnie Walker IV was diagnosed with a concussion on Thursday morning, according to PHLY Sports’ Kyle Neubeck (Twitter link). Walker hit his head on the court on Wednesday against Toronto and entered the NBA’s concussion protocol. He’ll be evaluated daily moving forward.