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Lakers Notes: Hachimura, Prince, Ham, LeBron

February 4th, 2024 at 8:59am CST by Arthur Hill

Lakers coach Darvin Ham unveiled another new starting five for Saturday’s win at New York, writes Khobi Price of The Orange County Register. With LeBron James and Anthony Davis both returning from one-game injury absences, Ham replaced Taurean Prince with Rui Hachimura, who made his eighth start of the year as Ham inserted more size into his frequently shifting lineup.

“Just coming out being bigger along the frontline,” Ham said. “Taurean, he has to do it on both sides of the ball. I just felt like him coming off the bench just would allow him to not only shore up our bench in terms of a defensive presence but also allow him to get some buckets too. We need him to score and be aggressive offensively. And so he was able to do that. It worked out well. It created a nice sense of balance.”

Prince, who came off the bench for the first time this season, still found a way to contribute, scoring 16 points in 33 minutes. He and Austin Reaves handled most of the offense as L.A. took over the game in the fourth quarter, combining for 16 of the team’s first 20 points.

“That’s what we need,” Ham added. “We have a team full of talented offensive players. The more they assert themselves and stay aggressive, and … deliver; take advantage of the opportunities that they have, the better it will be (and) the more endurance we’ll have for LeBron and A.D.”

There’s more on the Lakers:

  • Saturday’s win gives L.A. a 3-2 record on its annual Grammys road trip, which was expected to impact the team’s strategy heading into Thursday’s trade deadline, Price adds. The Lakers can wrap up a winning trip with a victory Monday at Charlotte, and they’ve moved within one game of eighth-place Dallas. “We’re just trying to get to a place where we’re playing the type of basketball we envisioned,” Ham said. “The type of basketball we know we’re capable of and defend at a high, high level. That’s (going to) give you a chance every night. And we’ve got enough firepower in terms of people in the starting lineup, people coming off the bench to where we’re (going to) be able to put points on the board.”
  • Ham isn’t concerned about the hourglass emoji tweet that James posted earlier this week, according to Tim Bontemps of ESPN (Twitter link). He said it’s a reflection of the urgency to win that comes with being part of the Lakers organization. “If I were him, I would’ve put out two or three hourglasses,” Ham quipped.
  • After Saturday’s game, James offered advice to young players who want to be successful in the NBA, saying it requires a total commitment to basketball, tweets Dave McMenamin of ESPN. “Just pour it all into the game ,” James said. “If you want to be great and if you want to be someone that will be never forgotten in the league, the cars and the jewelry and all the other dumb s–t that don’t matter means absolutely nothing.”
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Scotto’s Latest: Lakers, Murray, Russell, Hachimura, Brown, More

January 25th, 2024 at 9:03am CST by Arthur Hill

Dejounte Murray is the Lakers‘ top target as they search for a point guard before the trade deadline, but they’ll likely need to find a third team to get a deal done, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype says in a discussion about the team with Jovan Buha of The Athletic.

L.A. has discussed a deal with the Hawks involving D’Angelo Russell, rookie Jalen Hood-Schifino and the team’s next available first-round pick in 2029, according to Scotto. However, Russell has an $18.7MM player option for next season, and Atlanta doesn’t want to take back any salary beyond this year, plus there are questions about Russell’s fit alongside Trae Young.

There’s no obvious third team to make a deal work, Scotto adds. He points to the Hornets as an organization that’s willing to take unwanted contracts in return for draft assets, but notes that Russell is also an awkward fit with LaMelo Ball. The Lakers wouldn’t have another first-rounder to offer Charlotte since their 2029 pick would be going to the Hawks in the proposed deal.

Scotto mentions the Nets as a potential landing spot for Russell with Spencer Dinwiddie heading to Atlanta or L.A., but he’s skeptical of Brooklyn’s desire to add Russell. He sees the Wizards as a better option, with Tyus Jones possibly moving, but notes that a fourth team might be necessary to provide enough draft picks to make a deal work.

Buha also hears that Murray is the Lakers’ top priority, but warns that the market is constantly changing, citing this week’s trade of Terry Rozier to Miami as an example. He suggests that might increase the price for Murray and wonders if the Sixers or another team with more assets than L.A. will enter the bidding. Buha proposes that the Lakers might try to get Brooklyn involved in a Murray trade and add another asset such as Dinwiddie, Dorian Finney-Smith or Royce O’Neale.

There’s more on the Lakers’ trade market from Scotto and Buha:

  • L.A. would like to move Gabe Vincent, who’s recovering from knee surgery and still has two years left on his contract, but he currently has negative value around the league, Scotto and Buha agree. Buha points to Rui Hachimura as another player who might be involved in trade discussions, but says the Lakers would create a hole in their frontcourt by parting with him.
  • A rumored deal of Russell and Hachimura to the Bulls for Zach LaVine seems to be dead at this point, according to Scotto. Buha adds that L.A. always had more interest in DeMar DeRozan and Alex Caruso than LaVine, but has been reluctant to part with Austin Reaves to acquire them.
  • Executives around the league tell Scotto that it would likely take at least a first-round pick to get Malcolm Brogdon from the Trail Blazers. He also reiterates that the Cavaliers are informing teams they’re not interested in trading Donovan Mitchell.
  • Buha notes that the Lakers had interest in Bruce Brown dating back to last offseason, but it may take a third team to get involved if the Raptors don’t want Russell. He sees a Brown-Hachimura trade as a more realistic option, depending on what else L.A. would have to give up.
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Lakers Exploring Trades For Murray, Numerous Other Players

January 23rd, 2024 at 5:25pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Lakers are exploring a number of avenues on the trade market with the Hawks’ Dejounte Murray arguably the biggest name on the wish list, ESPN’s Dave McMenamin reports.

Murray would give the club some much-needed playmaking and speed out of the backcourt. The fact that Murray is making $18.2MM this season before his four-year, $114MM extension kicks in could provide an additional bonus. The Lakers could engineer a two-for-one swap and shave some money off their luxury tax bill in the process.

However, the Lakers continue to resist including Austin Reaves in a potential deal. The Hawks recently inquired about Reaves, according to McMenamin’s sources, who speculates that the Lakers would have to give up some combination of Rui Hachimura, a future first-round pick, Reaves or other young players to land Murray.

The Lakers don’t plan to pivot to the Bulls’ Zach LaVine, per McMenamin, due to his hefty contract, injury issues and declining production. They could aim lower and pick up some bench pieces instead.

They’d like to add a quality backup guard with Gabe Vincent sidelined by a knee injury. The Jazz’s Collin Sexton and Wizards’ Tyus Jones have been discussed internally as potential targets. They also have the Raptors’ Dennis Schröder and Bruce Brown on their radar.

Schröder, who started 50 games for the Lakers last season, has seen his role diminish with the acquisition of Immanuel Quickley and RJ Barrett. Brown, a defensive ace who was instrumental in Denver’s championship run, was acquired by Toronto in the Pascal Siakam deal.

Brown was the Lakers’ top target with their mid-level exception last summer, according to McMenamin, but Indiana blew them out of the water with a two-year, $45MM offer.

The Nets’ Dorian Finney-Smith and Bulls’ Andre Drummond are two other players the Lakers are considering to fill key postseason roles. Finney-Smith could guard elite wings, while Drummond would give them more size to combat an opponent such as Denver. They’re not particularly interested in the Hornets’ Miles Bridges, a potential alternative to Finney-Smith, because they wouldn’t hold his Bird Rights and Bridges would likely sign a more lucrative contract elsewhere in the summer.

If the Lakers choose not to make a trade or do only minor tinkering before the deadline, they could have more flexibility to acquire another star in the offseason such as the Cavaliers’ Donovan Mitchell or Hawks’ Trae Young, McMenamin writes.

On the day of the draft, the Lakers pool of available first-rounders would grow to their picks in 2029, 2031 and either this year or 2025, depending on whether New Orleans chooses to use the pick L.A. owes it this June or the following summer.

The Lakers have discussed internally the possibility of packaging those three picks, along with players they already have on their books, to pursue that type of blockbuster, says McMenamin.

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Lakers Notes: Russell, Reddish, Hachimura, Prince

January 22nd, 2024 at 7:56am CST by Arthur Hill

If D’Angelo Russell is leaving the Lakers before the February 8 trade deadline, he’s doing his best to raise his value on the way out, writes Dan Woike of The Los Angeles Times. Russell had 34 points and eight assists in Sunday’s romp over Portland and has averaged 27.2 PPG while shooting nearly 54% from three-point range since being reinserted into the starting lineup five games ago.

“I’ve always been like that, recognizing my superpower,” Russell said. “Everybody in the league has one. It might be defensive or just a motor but everyone has one. For me, ever since I was a young kid, I always found myself kinda getting hot throughout the game where I might score five, six points right away. Maybe score 10 in a quarter or something like that and score 10, 12 points the last three minutes of the game. It’s just my superpower.”

The contract Russell signed last summer has led to the trade speculation because it’s a valuable tool for salary-matching purposes. Russell is making $17.3MM this season with an $18.7MM player option for 2024/25 and is a strong candidate to be included in any significant deal. But Woike notes that the Lakers looked fine on Sunday if they decide to hold onto their point guard.

“Tonight was one of the most complete games I’ve seen him play since he’s been back in the Laker uniform,” coach Darvin Ham said of Russell. “He was great on defense, great with his activity, great on and off the ball offensively. He was huge.”

There’s more on the Lakers:

  • Cam Reddish played 21 minutes Sunday night as he returned to the court after sitting out a week to recover from a left knee effusion, notes Broderick Turner of The Los Angeles Times. The rest also helped Reddish heal from a groin injury, and he said he plans to keep working on rehab so he doesn’t have to miss more time. “I definitely have to stay on top of it, for sure,” Reddish said. “But it’s just feeling a lot better. I mean, in general, I just feel a lot better, you know what I mean? Just a few days made all the difference. So, hopefully we can keep that going.”
  • With Taurean Prince sidelined by left knee soreness, Ham was forced to make another change to his starting lineup, Turner adds. Ham opted for more offense this time as Rui Hachimura rejoined the starting five. “Rui stepped in and made a huge impact,” Ham said. “He was really, really good in his minutes.”
  • Prince is considered day-to-day, tweets Dave McMenamin of ESPN. Ham said Prince “has been fighting through some pain for some time now” and there’s hope that a night off will help.
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Lakers Notes: Disappointing Loss, Hachimura, Murray, LeBron

January 20th, 2024 at 5:12pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Lakers had an opportunity to climb above .500 on Friday night, but they collapsed defensively in an 18-point home loss to the reeling Nets, writes Khobi Price of The Orange County Register. The defeat, coming off back-to-back wins against Oklahoma City and Dallas, continues a recent pattern of mixing great games with poor performances. Anthony Davis called the loss “more frustrating than concerning,” but he was unhappy with the breakdowns that allowed Brooklyn to score 102 points over the final three quarters.

“Kind of been like a constant thing for us, but like I said, when you get two, you’re trying to find a rhythm and you have two great games on both sides of the floor,” Davis said. “And then you kind of just revert back in the second half of this game and practically play no defense against these guys. Guys are getting wide-open shots, wide-open layups, wide-open dunks, we’re fouling, wasn’t rebounding. Everything on the defensive end we just didn’t do. And allowed them guys to get into rhythm and now you’re playing with confidence and the rims are a lot bigger for those guys.”

The Lakers have been inconsistent since winning the in-season tournament six weeks ago, and they’re currently on the edge of the play-in tourney with a 21-22 record. Coach Darvin Ham has tinkered with the starting lineup and the overall rotation, but he said Friday that the best solution is for everyone to play better.

“We’ll watch this game and make it more about our principles and, again, the type of team we want to be,” he said. “It’s over for the excuses, man. We gotta play basketball.”

There’s more on the Lakers:

  • In a separate Orange County Register story, Rui Hachimura tells Price that he’s still feeling some effects from a calf injury that forced him to miss time earlier this month. “My calf is still not 100%, but it’s been great,” Hachimura said after Friday’s shootaround. “I’m moving well.”
  • On the Hoop Collective podcast (video link), ESPN’s Brian Windhorst and Bobby Marks discuss ways the Lakers could trade for Hawks guard Dejounte Murray and still avoid the luxury tax. Windhorst suggests L.A. may be more willing to part with a future first-round pick in a deal that saves the team money.
  • Dylan Hernandez of The Los Angeles Times wonders if playing on the same NBA team as his son is still a priority for LeBron James. LeBron has a $51.4MM player option for next season, and Hernandez states that the organization should factor any uncertainty about his future into its decisions at the trade deadline.
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Lakers Rumors: Murray, D-Lo, Hood-Schifino, Reaves, More

January 19th, 2024 at 1:04pm CST by Luke Adams

The buzz connecting Hawks guard Dejounte Murray to the Lakers has increased to “noisy levels” as of late, according to Jovan Buha of The Athletic, who hears that the two teams have discussed possible frameworks for a trade.

One concept the Lakers and Hawks talked about late last week would’ve included guard D’Angelo Russell, rookie Jalen Hood-Schifino, the Lakers’ 2029 first-round pick, and additional draft compensation, multiple team and league sources tell Buha.

Los Angeles can only currently trade one future first-rounder (either the 2029 or 2030 pick), so any additional draft assets would’ve been second-rounders. Plus, as Michael Scotto reported on Thursday, Atlanta has little interest in Russell, so he may need to be rerouted to a third team.

Talks between Los Angeles and Atlanta have since stalled, but the two clubs are expected to revisit those negotiations prior to the February 8 trade deadline, says Buha.

Here’s more on the Lakers:

  • Unless an unexpected opportunity arises, the Lakers are expected to take at least a couple more weeks to evaluate their trade assets and options before pulling the trigger on any deal, according to Buha. As Buha explains, the team would like to address various needs – including three-point shooting, speed, and athleticism – but is still weighing whether it makes more sense to make a smaller move or to do something bigger that would more significantly reshape the rotation.
  • No Lakers players besides Anthony Davis and LeBron James are untouchable, but Jarred Vanderbilt is ineligible to be dealt this season and Austin Reaves is “close” to being off the table, says Buha. Team and league sources tell The Athletic that L.A. values Reaves highly and has no interest in moving him, even though almost every trade discussion starts with a prospective trade partner asking for Reaves and a first-round pick. If the Lakers were to part with Reaves, they’d want the deal to net them a clear All-Star (ie. someone a tier above Murray or Zach LaVine) or multiple rotation upgrades, Buha adds.
  • Russell, Rui Hachimura, and Gabe Vincent are generally considered to have neutral-to-negative trade value, per Buha. Second-year guard Max Christie is viewed by some teams as an underrated three-and-D prospect, but the Lakers would prefer to keep him, Buha notes.
  • The Lakers, who had interest in Bruce Brown during the offseason, would still be interested in Brown if the Raptors make him available, Buha reports. Other potential targets the Lakers have discussed in recent weeks include Trail Blazers forward Jerami Grant, Hornets guard Terry Rozier, Raptors wing Gary Trent Jr., and Nets forwards Dorian Finney-Smith and Royce O’Neale, says Buha.
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Seventeen More Players Become Trade-Eligible

January 15th, 2024 at 7:02am CST by Luke Adams

Today is Monday, January 15, which means that a total of 17 players who signed free agent contracts meeting specific criteria this past offseason are now eligible to be traded.

Most offseason signees became trade-eligible on December 15, but players who met the following criteria were ineligible to be moved for an extra month:

  1. The player re-signed with his previous team.
  2. He got a raise of at least 20%.
  3. His salary is worth more than the minimum.
  4. His team was over the cap and used Bird or Early Bird rights to sign him.

The following players met that criteria and are eligible to be traded as of Monday:

(* Players marked with an asterisk have the ability to veto trades.)

Most of the players on NBA rosters are now eligible to be moved, though a small handful still can’t be dealt. That group includes Heat guard Dru Smith, who becomes trade-eligible on Monday, Hornets guard Ish Smith (trade-eligible on January 24), Lakers star Anthony Davis (trade-eligible on February 6), and Pistons forward Kevin Knox (trade-eligible on Feb. 8).

There are also several players who won’t become trade-eligible prior to this season’s February 8 deadline, including stars like Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kawhi Leonard, and Jaylen Brown. Players on 10-day contracts are also ineligible to be dealt.

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Lakers Notes: Davis, LeBron, Russell, Hachimura, Reddish

January 14th, 2024 at 10:47am CST by Arthur Hill

After getting off to a 19-21 start last season, Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka was able to remake the team before the trade deadline. He’ll face the same challenge this year as L.A. has an identical record at the 40-game mark following Saturday’s loss at Utah.

The difference, as Broderick Turner of The Los Angeles Times points out, is that the Lakers were already moving in the right direction by the middle of last season, winning five in a row to reach 19-21. Saturday’s loss was their 12th in their last 17 games as they’ve fallen into 11th place in the Western Conference.

“I don’t remember last year at the 40-game mark,” Anthony Davis said. “But I think for us right now, we’re not in a bad spot. It could be worse. Just our injuries just piled up over and over. As soon as we think we get a couple guys back, guys go down. So that’s the toughest thing, but we still have enough to win basketball games. Even though (LeBron James) doesn’t play, we have enough to win. But we just got to keep going — 40 games, 42 left. We got to make a push. These next five or six games at home are going to be a big stretch of games for us.”

The latest injury issue involves James, who missed his fourth game of the season Saturday due to pain in his left ankle. Davis took on more play-making responsibilities in James’ absence, posting his second career triple-double with 15 points, 15 rebounds and 11 assists, but he still felt like he didn’t do enough.

“Everyone did their job except me. I didn’t do my job,” Davis said. “Obviously, Bron was out and everyone has to step up and those guys did. Except myself. So this one’s on me.”

There’s more on the Lakers:

  • D’Angelo Russell returned to the starting lineup Saturday, making his first start since coach Darvin Ham shook up his rotation 10 games ago, Turner writes. Russell responded with his best game of the season, delivering 39 points and eight assists while shooting 15-of-26 from the field and 6-of-11 from three-point range. “I mean, it’s just fun. Just hoopin’, as simple as that,” Russell said. “They had some coverages that tried to take AD out the game, allowed us to play off the catch-and-attack closeouts all game. We missed some. We made some. I thought we had a lot of good looks. Just try to take this aggression and add it to the next game.”
  • Rui Hachimura returned after missing five games with a strained left calf and didn’t wear the mask he had been using since undergoing nasal surgery, Turner adds. Hachimura talked to Dave McMenamin of ESPN about the need for more energy in the first quarter because rival teams are so focused on beating the Lakers (video link).
  • Cam Reddish had to leave the game in the second half due to soreness in his left knee, tweets Khobi Price of The Orange County Register. Knee pain also forced Reddish out of Thursday’s game, and Ham said the team will have a “definitive plan by Monday going forward” on how to handle his condition.
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Lakers Notes: Davis, LeBron, Ham, Hachimura

January 10th, 2024 at 7:43pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Lakers have experienced some extreme highs and lows already this season, but they’ve been able to rely on Anthony Davis through everything, writes Jovan Buha of The Athletic. The talented big man has played in 36 of the team’s 38 games, avoiding the injury woes that have haunted him through most of his career. He’s making a case for Defensive Player of the Year honors while taking a larger role in L.A.’s offense, averaging 25.7 points and 3.4 assists per night.

“You could tell his body’s feeling good,” coach Darvin Ham said. “He’s in a good space. His energy is great. He’s just doing what he needs to do. He’s not trying to force anything. It’s coming. That’s why it’s so efficient. He’s just playing the game the way it’s supposed to be played, getting good hits on screens. … He’s in a really good mental space, spiritual space. And physically, he’s at a really high level right now.” 

Buha notes that the biggest change in Davis’ game has been the reemergence of his mid-range jumper, which he used so effectively when the Lakers won the title in 2019/20. Davis is shooting 44.4% on mid-range attempts since December 9, adding a much-needed weapon for a team with limited outside shooting.

“I just wasn’t shooting it enough,” Davis said. “A lot of my shots were coming in the paint — post-ups and duck-ins and seals and things like that. Now, the way that teams are playing me, doubling on the catch and on the dribble, I’ve been just getting back to the mid-range. It’s an easier shot instead of fighting the double teams to get a shot up. So that’s all it is. Continuing to trust it and shoot it.”

There’s more on the Lakers:

  • With about four weeks left until the trade deadline, there’s still time to fix the deficiencies from a frustrating first half of the season, observes Dave McMenamin of ESPN. Sources tell McMenamin that LeBron James‘ “patience has been tested” by the team’s performance, but he has decided to lead by example rather than demand changes. James talks to the coaches and front office when they solicit his opinion, but his focus is primarily on the court, according to McMenamin.
  • In the same story, McMenamin casts doubt on rumors that Ham’s job might be in jeopardy. A front office source tells the ESPN writer that Ham was hired for his “character, toughness and presence,” and management has confidence that he can handle the challenges that come with such a high-pressure job.
  • Rui Hachimura is making progress toward returning from his strained left calf, per Khobi Price of The Orange County Register. Hachimura missed his fourth straight game Tuesday night, but Ham indicated there’s a chance he could be back within the next week.
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L.A. Notes: Harden, Clippers, Diabate, Lakers, Ham

January 5th, 2024 at 11:01am CST by Luke Adams

After losing their first six games following the acquisition of James Harden, the Clippers have since won 18 of 23, including the last four in a row, to improve their record to 21-12. With the team firing on all cylinders, it hasn’t been lost on Harden that the critics who were decrying his fit in early November have been quiet as of late.

“Fit is great, I knew that from the beginning and it’s one of the reasons why I wanted to be a part of this,” Harden said, per Andrew Greif of The Los Angeles Times. “Obviously it didn’t start off well. It gave people so much to talk about in a negative way, and now those people that were talking are nowhere to be found. Like, literally nowhere to be found. Which, we knew that was going to happen.”

Viewed as a title threat when Kawhi Leonard and Paul George teamed up in Los Angeles in 2019, the Clippers have won just three playoff series in the past four seasons as Leonard and George  both dealt with injuries. But with the two forwards healthy this season and Harden bringing a new element to the roster, they’re looking like a legitimate contender again.

Asked by Melissa Rohlin of FOX Sports what winning a championship would mean for his legacy, Harden said it would be “very important.”

“It’s been like that. I always want to give myself a chance to win. I know how very difficult that is,” Harden said. “There’s only one team standing at the end of the year. So, I’ll continue to keep trying to do that.”

Here’s more on the NBA’s two Los Angeles teams:

  • Clippers two-way center Moussa Diabate, who was hampered in December by a hip issue, appeared in his first NBA game in over a month on Monday, logging three garbage-time minutes in a victory over Miami. However, it sounds like he won’t play again for a while — the team announced that Diabate, who had six blocks in a G League game on Tuesday, is out due to a metacarpal fracture in his right hand, tweets Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN. The club has yet to provide a recovery timeline.
  • With the Lakers slumping, Mirjam Swanson of The Southern California News Group wonders why the team hasn’t turned to the lineups that were successful last season, including either Jarred Vanderbilt or Rui Hachimura alongside Anthony Davis, LeBron James, Austin Reaves, and D’Angelo Russell. Injuries have been a problem, but the club hasn’t used either of those lineups even when everyone has been available — those two groups have played just three total minutes together in 2023/24, says Swanson.
  • While head coach Darvin Ham is clearly facing pressure to turn the Lakers‘ season around, a “high-ranking” team source disputed the idea that he’s on the verge of being fired, according to Sam Amick of The Athletic. Amick adds that assistant Phil Handy is frequently brought up as the possible next man up if the Lakers do eventually decide to make an in-season coaching change.
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