Draft Notes: Dybantsa, Ejiofor, Momcilovic, Updated Mock
Among the ways AJ Dybantsa stands out from the rest of his draft class is his openness about wanting to be the No. 1 pick, writes Sarah Todd of The Deseret News. Todd notes that Dybantsa’s bravado was among his characteristics that were on display during this week’s draft combine in Chicago.
“It’s definitely a goal of mine,” Dybantsa said of being the first name off the board. “I’ve been number one in the ranking since what, ninth grade? And I ain’t dropped. So, I’m not planning on dropping in the draft.”
Todd adds that the ultra-confidence can be interpreted in various ways by different team executives. While some may be concerned about drafting a diva, there’s an understanding that most highly successful professional athletes have a certain level of ego. Dybantsa’s stated desire to become a “Hall of Famer” should appeal to decision makers who are looking for someone to carry their franchise.
Although Dybantsa is considered the favorite to go to Washington with the top pick, he met with several other teams at the combine as well as the Wizards, according to Marc J. Spears of Andscape (Twitter link). Dybantsa also had sessions with the Jazz, Bulls, Kings, Nets, Hawks, Mavericks, Grizzlies and Clippers.
There’s more on the draft:
- St. John’s forward Zuby Ejiofor raised his draft stock at the combine with a strong shooting performance, states Brian Lewis of The New York Post. During the shooting drills, Ejiofor connected at 17-of-30 off the dribble and 12-of-25 in the three-point star drill. He went 16-of-28 in a side-middle-side drill and 13-of-25 on spot-up shots. “I feel like it’s something I could’ve shown a little bit more in college,” he said. “And then I had the opportunity to just come out here and just prove, not only to myself, but to everybody around that I could do it. And I had decent numbers. And I was pretty proud of it.” Ejiofor’s agent believes he’ll be selected somewhere between 25th and 35th, Lewis adds.
- Iowa State’s Milan Momcilovic is still focused on the draft, but he’ll be the top player in the transfer portal if he decides to pull out, per Adam Zagoria of Zagsblog. An NBA source tells Zagoria that Momcilovic is likely to earn more than $5MM in NIL money if he stays in college. Momcilovic recently told Ben Roberts of The Lexington Herald Leader that he sees Kentucky as “a good fit.”
- Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report updated his mock draft in the wake of the combine with Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, Cameron Boozer and Caleb Wilson as the top four. Wasserman reports that “the needle didn’t move in either direction” for Peterson at the combine, while Boozer left the event with no new concerns regarding his size or athleticism.
Central Notes: Turner, Giannis, Bulls, Unseld, Cavs, Pacers
Asked by WNBA star Breanna Stewart during the latest episode of the Game Recognize Game podcast (YouTube link) whether NBA players face in-house fines for minor on- or off-court transgressions, Bucks center Myles Turner said “it depends on the coach.”
“Doc Rivers, he didn’t fine anybody, ever,” Turner said of the Bucks’ former head coach. “So guys were late all the time. Guys were showing up to film whenever they wanted to show up. Guys were missing meetings. It was one of the craziest things I’ve personally experienced.
“But any other team I’ve been on, guys got fined. And there was a sense of order and a sense of understanding. So yeah, you’re late to the plane? Fined. You’re late to treatment? Fined. You’re late to film? Fined. But I personally did not experience that last year for the first time in my career.”
When Stewart followed up to ask which of Turner’s teammates was most likely to show up late to a team activity, the big man singled out two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo.
“Giannis is gonna show up whenever he wants, really,” Turner said. “I think that this kind of just came with the territory of that. And once I kind of saw what was going down, I was like, ‘Hey man, more power to you. (If) they ain’t going to fine you, s–t, do what you do.'”
We have more from around the Central:
- With the Bucks once again fielding inquiries on Antetokounmpo, ESPN’s Bobby Marks takes a closer look at the assets that 10 possible suitors have to offer for the superstar forward.
- Although the Bulls are hiring a new head coach, several of their assistants are expected to return in 2026/27, tweets K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Sports Network. One of those assistants, Wes Unseld Jr., is a candidate to be interviewed for the head coaching vacancy, Johnson adds. Unseld was the Wizards’ head coach for two-and-a-half seasons from 2021-24.
- Head coach Kenny Atkinson was critical of the Cavaliers‘ mental toughness after the team was upset by Indiana in the second round of the playoffs, but the Cavs are starting to rewire that narrative this spring, according to Jason Lloyd of The Athletic and Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (subscription required). Cleveland has bounced back from a 2-0 deficit to take a 3-2 lead in the Eastern Conference semifinals and overcame Detroit’s nine-point lead with less than three minutes to go in Game 5 on Wednesday. “We just made big plays,” Atkinson said, per Fedor. “I think that stretch says a lot about our progress, mental performance progress, mental toughness progress. Kept at it. These guys, they never get down.”
- It could be a relatively quiet summer in Indiana, according to Yossi Gozlan of The Third Apron (Substack link), who notes within his offseason preview that the Pacers are hovering right below the luxury tax line with 14 players projected to be under contract. The team has some extension candidates and could make some tweaks around the margins, but the front office might not have a ton of work to do this offseason, Gozlan writes.
2026 NBA Head Coaching Search Tracker
Multiple teams around the NBA are making head coaching changes in advance of the 2026/27 season. In the space below, we’ll provide regular updates on the head coaching searches for each club that has yet to give anyone the permanent title. Some of these searches could extend well into the offseason, so be sure to check back often for the latest updates.
You’ll be able to access this page anytime under the “Hoops Rumors Features” menu on the right sidebar on our desktop site, or on the “Features” page in our mobile menu.
Updated 5-24-26 (10:04 am CT)
Active Searches
Chicago Bulls
- Previous coach:
- Billy Donovan (story)
- Reportedly considering:
- Spurs assistant Sean Sweeney (story)
- Bulls assistant Wes Unseld Jr. (story)
- Former Pelicans coach James Borrego (story)
- Timberwolves assistant Micah Nori (story)
- Thunder assistant Dave Bliss (story)
- Hornets assistant Lamar Skeeter (story)
- Hawks assistant Ryan Schmidt (story)
- Former Warriors assistant Jerry Stackhouse (story)
- Heat assistant Chris Quinn (story)
- Cavaliers assistant Johnnie Bryant (story)
The Bulls parted ways with top front office executives Arturas Karnisovas and Marc Eversley shortly after the regular season ended, but seemed prepared – or even eager – to bring back Donovan. Ultimately though, with the team seemingly entering a rebuilding period, Donovan decided against returning, having reportedly determined that both sides would benefit from a fresh start.
Donovan’s exit puts new executive VP of basketball operations Bryson Graham in position to choose his own head coach in his first year on the job. It will be a big offseason for Graham, who is also reshaping the Bulls’ front office.
Dallas Mavericks
Before the Mavericks hired Masai Ujiri to run their front office, all indications were that the Mavericks envisioned Kidd remaining a fixture on the sidelines in Dallas. The Mavs extended Kidd in 2024 and again in 2025, and he reportedly still had four years and more than $40MM left on his contract entering this offseason.
However, Ujiri was noncommittal about Kidd’s future during his introductory press conference in early May, and less than two weeks later, word broke that the two sides had agreed to part ways. While it was framed as a mutual decision, it sure sounds as if Ujiri wanted to start with a clean slate as he looks to find the right coach to help turn Cooper Flagg into a superstar.
Orlando Magic
- Previous coach:
- Jamahl Mosley (story)
- Reportedly considering:
The Magic entered the season projected to be one of the top three or four teams in the East and instead spent most of the year battling for play-in positioning. Injuries were a factor, but the club’s performance was still disappointing enough that Mosley was on the hot seat for much of the second half. It briefly looked in the first round of the playoffs like he might be able to save his job when Orlando took a 3-1 lead on the top-seeded Pistons, but with Franz Wagner sidelined, the team lost the final three games of that series and Mosley was dismissed less than 24 hours later.
No Magic players under contract for 2026/27 are over 28 years old, but this is still a veteran roster with win-now expectations, so the team’s head coaching hire figures to reflect that. In other words, a candidate with some head coaching experience could have the edge over another first-timer.
Portland Trail Blazers
- Previous coach:
- Tiago Splitter (interim)
- Reportedly considering:
- Splitter (story)
- Timberwolves assistant Micah Nori (story)
- Clippers assistant Jeff Van Gundy (story)
- Former Warriors assistant Jerry Stackhouse (story)
- Jazz assistant Mike Williams (story)
- Celtics assistant Tyler Lashbrook (story)
- Nuggets assistant Jared Dudley (story)
- Rockets assistant Ben Sullivan (story)
- Nets assistant Steve Hetzel (story)
- Lakers assistant Greg St. Jean (story)
- Rockets assistant Royal Ivey (story)
- St. Louis University coach Josh Schertz (story)
- Iowa coach Ben McCollum (story)
- Celtics assistant D.J. MacLeay (story)
- Heat consultant Noah Laroche (story)
- Brisbane Bullets coach/president Will Weaver (story)
- Hawks assistant Bryan Bailey (story)
- Former Mavericks coach Jason Kidd (story)
The Trail Blazers may end up technically replacing two head coaches this offseason. While Chauncey Billups was never technically fired, it seems pretty safe to assume his coaching tenure in Portland is over following his October arrest on money laundering and wire fraud conspiracy charges. Splitter did an admirable job upon being promoted from his assistant role, leading the Blazers to their first playoff berth in five years, but he’s one of several candidates being considered for the permanent position.
The involvement of new team owner Tom Dundon is a wild-card factor here. At least one report has indicated that Dundon wants to interview upwards of 30 candidates for the job in the hopes of gathering as much intel as possible on the coaching market. There have also been rumors suggesting that Dundon isn’t looking to spend more than about $1.5MM per year, which would make the Blazers’ coach the lowest-paid in the NBA. However, sources connected to the Blazers’ owner and the team have pushed back on those reports.
For what it’s worth, some experienced coaches – including Michael Malone and Tom Thibodeau – reportedly rebuffed the Blazers’ efforts to speak to them when they launched their search while Splitter was still coaching the team in the playoffs.
Completed Searches
Milwaukee Bucks
- New coach:
- Taylor Jenkins (story)
- Previous coach:
- Doc Rivers (story)
- Also reportedly considered:
- Bucks assistant Darvin Ham (story)
When the Bucks announced their split with Rivers, they said he was “stepping down,” and the Hall of Famer later insisted it was “100%” his decision to leave. Still, it sure seemed by the end of the season that both sides were ready for a change, with one report in early April suggesting there had been a “season-long disconnect” between Rivers and his players.
While Milwaukee likely looked at a few more candidates who went unreported, it didn’t take the team long to zero in on Jenkins. He was identified even before the end of the regular season as a top target, and the Bucks reportedly reached a deal with him just 10 days after confirming that Rivers wouldn’t return.
Jenkins’ track record of player development, culture-setting, and competitiveness during his time as Memphis’ head coach was said to appeal to the Bucks, who invested heavily in him. One report said he received a six-year deal, while another said he’ll be paid “well north” of $10MM annually.
New Orleans Pelicans
- New coach:
- Jamahl Mosley (story)
- Previous coach:
- James Borrego (interim)
- Also reportedly considered:
After firing Willie Green early in the 2025/26 season, the Pelicans turned to Borrego, who was the lead assistant on Green’s staff and had previous head coaching stints in Orlando and Charlotte. New Orleans played a little better after the coaching change, but Borrego didn’t exactly lock up the permanent job by leading the club to a 24-46 record, so the front office opened up its search to outside candidates this spring.
While New Orleans reportedly considered candidates like Rondo, Ham, Hetzel, and Sweeney, it seemed as if the Pelicans were just waiting to see whether Mosley would be available. Their interest in Orlando’s head coach was reported way back in November when Green was let go, so when the Magic dismissed Mosley in early May following its first-round playoff exit, the only question was whether or not he’d want to take a year off after spending the past five seasons with the Magic.
As it turned out, Mosley was eager to jump right into a new job and agreed to a five-year contract to become New Orleans’ new head coach. The Pelicans are said to be optimistic that Mosley, who took over a 21-win Magic squad and eventually guided the team to three consecutive playoff appearances, can lead the 26-56 Pelicans on a similar upward trajectory.
Bulls Hiring Stephen Mervis As Senior VP Of Basketball Operations
The Bulls are finalizing an agreement to add veteran Magic executive Stephen Mervis to their front office, sources tell Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link). According to Charania, Mervis’ title in Chicago will be senior vice president of basketball operations.
Mervis, who was hired by the Magic in 2014 after working as a basketball operations intern for the Pacers, originally held the role of special assistant to the general manager. He worked his way up through the basketball operations department over the next 12 years, earning promotions to assistant director of basketball strategy, director of basketball strategy, VP of basketball strategy, and eventually assistant GM.
According to the Magic, Mervis assisted with “all facets” of basketball operations, though he specialized in salary cap management, strategic planning, and CBA issues. He was also involved in managing components of Orlando’s scouting department.
According to K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Sports Network (Twitter link), Mervis immediately emerged as a “prominent target” for a position in the Bulls’ front office after Bryson Graham was hired as the club’s executive VP of basketball operations.
While Chicago hasn’t announced either hire yet, Graham has reportedly identified two lieutenants for his front office so far — in addition to bringing in Mervis, the Bulls reportedly intend to hire Acie Law as their VP of player personnel, as we detailed earlier this morning.
Bulls To Hire Acie Law As VP Of Player Personnel
Former NBA lottery pick and four-year veteran Acie Law IV is joining the Bulls‘ front office, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, who reports (via Twitter) that Chicago is hiring Law as the team’s vice president of player personnel.
It’s the first major addition to the Bulls’ front office since the team hired Bryson Graham to be its executive VP of basketball operations. Graham and Law played college basketball together at Texas A&M during the 2006/07 season.
A standout guard with the Aggies from 2003-07, Law was the 11th overall pick in the 2007 draft but struggled to make an impact in the NBA as a player. He appeared in 188 games from 2007-11 for the Hawks, Warriors, Hornets (then the Bobcats), Bulls, and Grizzlies, averaging 3.9 points and 1.6 assists in 12.7 minutes per contest.
After competing overseas for a few years and winning a pair of EuroLeague titles, Law transitioned to the next stage of his basketball career, joining the Kings as a scout in 2018 and spending four seasons in Sacramento before being hired by the Thunder. Law was in Oklahoma City for three years, serving as the club’s director of amateur scouting and winning a championship with the franchise in 2025.
Following his stint with the Thunder, Law was hired as the Nets‘ director of player personnel and spent the 2025/26 season in Brooklyn. He’ll be leaving that role to work under Graham in Chicago.
Combine Notes: Dybantsa, Boozer, Peterson, Wilson
Potential No. 1 pick AJ Dybantsa is approaching this week’s draft combine in Chicago like a “job interview,” writes Josh Robbins of The Athletic. Dybantsa has been wearing a suit and tie not only in his meetings with team executives, but even for his sessions with the media.
“I had interviews this morning with different teams, and I mean, I never had a job before,” Dybantsa told reporters on Wednesday. “I was 13 (when I) started taking basketball serious. But this is like my first job interview. So my dad’s kind of like, ‘You know, this is your job interview. So come professional, come in a suit.’”
By noon Wednesday, Dybantsa had talked with the teams holding the top five picks in the draft – the Wizards, Jazz, Grizzlies, Bulls and Clippers – along with the Hawks and Mavericks, according to Robbins. His case for being selected first overall includes a mixture of versatility, dedication to the game and fan appeal.
“I’m super versatile as a player,” Dybantsa said. “I think I can guard one through four, play one through four. I think that I can play a little bit of combo guard if you need me to. I can be that jumbo wing if you need me to. I play the game the right way. So I try to play to win, try to make my teammates better. But I’m super exciting as a player, super explosive. I fill seats.”
There’s more from the combine:
- The other projected top-four picks, Cameron Boozer, Darryn Peterson and Caleb Wilson, were also asked why they should be taken first, Robbins adds. Boozer responded, “I think my mind, for sure,” along with his “feel for the game” and competitiveness. Peterson stated that he can fit with any team and dispelled rumors that he only wants to play point guard. Wilson cited his “leadership and focus” in addition to his on-court talents and said the hand injury that derailed his collegiate season is no longer an issue. “My hand’s perfectly fine now,” he said, “and I feel like it offered me a different perspective on basketball in general, just because once I injured my hand, now I’m way more grateful to play. Every day I wake up and I get the opportunity to play and just be able to shoot and dribble and stuff like that. I just feel grateful for the opportunity, and I wasn’t as grateful as I am now.”
- Wilson displayed his knowledge of Chicago by talking about Michael Jordan, “The Last Dance” documentary and SLAP, which is the acronym new Bulls executive vice president of basketball operations Bryson Graham uses to sum up what he looks for in a player – size, length, athleticism and physicality, per Julia Poe of The Chicago Tribune (subscription required). Wilson fits those characteristics and may be an easy choice for Chicago if he’s still on the board at No. 4, but the Bulls also hold the 15th pick and plan to talk to roughly 20 players this week, according to Poe.
- Talent evaluators and executives at the combine view Dybantsa, Peterson, Boozer and Wilson as a “big four” in the draft, with the next tier starting once they’re off the board, confirms K.C. Johnson of Chicago Sports Network (Twitter link).
Sixers Notes: Morey, McCain, Trade Deadline, Embiid, Front Office Candidates
Daryl Morey’s post-trade assessment that “we sold high” when he sent Jared McCain to Oklahoma City in February continues to be mocked in Philadelphia, writes Adam Aaronson of The Philly Voice. While Jake Fischer has reported that trade wasn’t the “proverbial last straw” for Morey in Philadelphia, the deal – combined with the failure to get another player to replace McCain in the rotation – may have factored into the executive’s dismissal this week as the Sixers‘ president of basketball operations.
The only return in that deal with the Thunder was a first-round pick originally belonging to Houston that wound up at No. 22 in this year’s draft. McCain’s roster spot was given to Cameron Payne, who had been playing in Serbia, but he was waived after suffering a hamstring strain in the final week of the season. Two-way player Dalen Terry was promoted to take his place and saw minimal playing time in the postseason.
Morey approached the deadline looking for “cost-effective role players with multiple years of control,” a source tells Aaronson, and his top target was Thunder shooting guard Aaron Wiggins. Morey was hoping to land Wiggins as part of the McCain deal, but Philadelphia would have needed to include multiple other players to make the trade work. OKC held onto Wiggins, and Aaronson notes that McCain has played a role in pushing him out of the Thunder’s rotation.
Aaronson also hears that Morey offered multiple second-round picks to the Bulls for Jalen Smith, but Chicago opted to keep him. Two other prime targets were Rockets forward Tari Eason and Pelicans forward Saddiq Bey, who both remained with their teams through the deadline. Aaronson’s source said the Sixers made attempts to land the Mavericks‘ Naji Marshall, the Timberwolves‘ Donte DiVincenzo, the Warriors‘ Brandin Podziemski and the Suns‘ Ryan Dunn as well. None of those players wound up being traded.
Morey liked the potential fit of Ayo Dosunmu, who has been a valuable contributor in Minnesota’s playoff run, according to Aaronson’s source, but didn’t prioritize him because of his expiring contract. Aaronson reports that the team also had some interest in Vit Krejci, who was sent from Atlanta to Portland four days prior to the deadline in exchange for two second-round picks. Philadelphia had numerous second-rounders to offer, but Morey reportedly didn’t want to commit to a deal with so much time remaining before the deadline.
There’s more on the Sixers:
- Morey’s relationship with star center Joel Embiid appeared to deteriorate throughout the season, Aaronson adds. Embiid expressed displeasure with management at the trade deadline and again when he was held out of a game in early April, and he refused to comment directly on Morey when asked about their relationship during the playoffs.
- Bob Myers, who will be leading the search to replace Morey, could probably have the job if he tells managing partner Josh Harris that he wants it, Aaronson suggests in a separate story. If Myers opts to remain in his current role as president of sports for Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, Aaronson identifies a few other candidates, including Elton Brand, who served as Morey’s top assistant, and Vince Rozman, who spent 16 years with the organization before joining OKC’s front office in 2022. Pistons senior vice president Dennis Lindsey and Timberwolves GM Matt Lloyd, who were both finalists to run Chicago’s front office, are also on the list, along with Spurs assistant GM Dave Telep, Celtics assistant GM Dave Lewin and prominent agents Austin Brown and Alex Saratsis.
- In a mailbag column, Aaronson examines some options for the Sixers in free agency and explains why the team shouldn’t try to trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Josh Giddey Undergoes Arthroscopic Procedure On Ankle
Bulls guard Josh Giddey recently underwent a successful arthroscopy on his right ankle, the team announced today (via Twitter).
According to the Bulls, the plan is for Giddey to resume basketball activities in approximately three months, which would be in mid-August. The expectation is that the 23-year-old will be ready to go for the start of training camp in late September.
Giddey was limited to 54 appearances in 2025/26, but his lengthiest absences were the result of hamstring issues. Still, he has dealt with repeated right ankle problems over the past two years too, dating back to when he first injured the ankle at the 2024 Olympics while playing for Australia’s national team. He said back in September 2024 that he sustained a ruptured ATFL (anterior talo-fibular ligament); since then, he has sprained the ankle multiple times.
While Chicago’s roster figures to undergo some major changes this offseason under new head of basketball operations Bryson Graham, Giddey looks like one of the few players whose spot should be relatively safe.
The former Thunder lottery pick, who has been the Bulls’ starting point guard since being traded to Chicago during the 2024 offseason, set new career highs in points (17.0), assists (9.1), and rebounds (8.3) per game this past season while posting a shooting line of .448/.364/.763. He negotiated a long-term contract with the team as a restricted free agent last offseason and still has three years and $75MM left on that deal.
Central Notes: Wade, Bulls, Malone, Pacers
After falling behind 2-0 to Detroit in the Eastern Conference semifinals, Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson and his staff considered making a starting lineup change, writes Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (subscription required). However, Atkinson decided to stick with forward Dean Wade as the fifth starter alongside his “core four” of Donovan Mitchell, James Harden, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen.
Wade, who will be an unrestricted free agent this summer, has rewarded Atkinson’s faith in him, according to Fedor. While the 29-year-old only scored three points in nearly 40 minutes of action across Games 3 and 4, he has been a crucial part of the Cleveland’s defensive plan against All-Star guard Cade Cunningham. According to NBA’s matchup data, Cunningham had five points, two assists, and four turnovers on 2-of-8 shooting when Wade was his primary defender in the two games in Cleveland.
“I thought Dean Wade took his defense to another level,” Atkinson said after Monday’s win. “To have a 6-foot-9 body that can lean on Cade and make things difficult, I thought that was key.”
No Cavaliers player has a higher individual net rating during the postseason than Wade. The team has outscored its playoff opponents by 10.6 points per 100 possessions during his 262 minutes of action and has been outscored by 10.2 points per 100 possessions in the 271 minutes he hasn’t played.
“All the lineups with Dean, we rebound better and we defend better,” Atkinson said.
Here’s more from around the Central:
- The Bulls have plenty of work to do on the roster this summer, according to Keith Smith of Spotrac, who suggests in his offseason preview that Matas Buzelis looks like the only young player on the roster who is guaranteed to be a long-term cornerstone. Smith explores potential uses for Chicago’s cap room, noting that taking on unwanted contracts attached to more valuable assets is probably the safest approach. If the Bulls want to target a restricted free agent, they’d be better off working out a sign-and-trade than risking an offer sheet that might gets matched, Smith adds.
- In a pair of subscriber-only stories for The Chicago Tribune, Julia Poe considers the Bulls‘ draft options with the fourth and 15th overall picks and reports that Bryson Graham has made his first personnel change since being hired as the team’s executive VP of basketball operations, having let go of Windy City Bulls general manager Josh Malone.
- Revisiting the trade that saw the Pacers give up a handful of assets – including what turned out to to be the No. 5 pick in this year’s draft – for Ivica Zubac, Jay King of The Athletic questions whether acting with such urgency to address the team’s hole at center was the right call. As King observes, even though they appeared in the 2025 NBA Finals, there’s no guarantee that a healthier version of the Pacers will be able to get back to that level next season, especially since so much is hinging on Tyrese Haliburton recapturing his prior form after an Achilles tear, one of the most difficult injuries to return from.
Lakers Rumors: Doncic, Reaves, LeBron, Offseason
Although the Lakers began to believe during a 16-2 run in the second half of the season that their roster was good enough to compete with the Thunder and contend for a title, running back a “mostly similar” group in 2026/27 isn’t viewed as a viable option, team and league sources tell Sam Amick and Dan Woike of The Athletic. Even if Luka Doncic had been available for the second-round series vs. Oklahoma City, the general sense is that the Lakers need more firepower to match up with the NBA’s very best team(s).
“We just don’t have enough good players,” one locker room source told The Athletic.
As Amick and Woike detail, the Lakers told Doncic after they acquired him that they wanted to build a roster around him that looked similar – and ideally better – than the one he had in Dallas during the Mavericks’ 2024 NBA Finals run. That’s still the goal, which means Los Angeles’ front office will be looking to upgrade at the five – ideally by adding an elite lob threat – as well as ensuring the roster features more two-way wings and a secondary play-maker to complement Doncic.
Austin Reaves is the most obvious fit for that latter role, and Doncic has made it clear to the Lakers that he’d like to continue playing with Reaves, according to Amick and Woike, who hear from league sources that the Slovenian star told people within the organization that he’d be opposed to including Reaves in a trade package for Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo. Still, while Doncic would prefer to play alongside Reaves and another star, acquiring that star without including Reaves would be a challenge, given the Lakers’ relative lack of valuable trade assets.
This past season, LeBron James was that third star alongside the two high-scoring guards, and it’s possible he’ll stick with the Lakers for another year — the two sides have mutual interest in extending their relationship, sources tell The Athletic. While L.A. could open up about $50MM in cap room in the event LeBron departs, that figure assumes Deandre Ayton and Marcus Smart pick up their player options rather than seeking raises and doesn’t account for new deals for Luke Kennard or Rui Hachimura, whom the Lakers have interest in retaining.
[RELATED: LeBron James: ‘I Don’t Know What The Future Holds For Me’]
If LeBron and some of those other players return and the Lakers end up operating over the cap, team sources believe there are still avenues for real improvement, Amick and Woike write, with the club expected to be aggressive on the trade market using this year’s No. 25 overall pick and tradable first-rounders in 2031 and 2033.
Here’s more on the Lakers as they prepare for an eventful offseason:
- Although Doncic’s hamstring injury was reported to be a Grade 2 strain following an MRI in Dallas, further evaluation in Spain revealed a “deeper and more severe” injury, according to Amick and Woike. Doncic acknowledged after the Lakers were eliminated that he wasn’t close to returning and that he was still a week or two away from taking contact, per Greg Beacham of The Associated Press. However, The Athletic’s duo says he’s pain-free in his hamstring, adding that the injury shouldn’t have a major impact on the guard’s offseason routine.
- As Beacham relays, Doncic announced on social media on Monday night that he won’t play for the Slovenian national team this summer because he wants to spend time with his daughters as he works toward acquiring joint custody. “Right now, my daughters and my responsibilities as a father are my priority,” he wrote.
- The ability to win and contend will be a “significant factor” for Reaves as he considers his free agent options this summer, league sources tell Amick and Woike. According to The Athletic’s duo, rival executives have predicted that Reaves’ next contract could be worth $40MM annually, though it remains unclear which clubs the Lakers might be bidding against. The Bulls and Nets are the only teams projected to have that kind of cap room, while other teams believed to have interest in Reaves, including the Jazz and Hawks, would need to either shed salary or negotiate a sign-and-trade to make that sort of offer.
- While Amick and Woike say the Lakers are expected to explore possible Antetokounmpo trade scenarios this offseason, Mirjam Swanson of The Los Angeles Times explains why she’s advising against pursuing the two-time MVP.
- Within their larger story on the Lakers’ summer, Amick and Woike also explore the franchise’s decision to move its G League affiliate from Los Angeles to Coachella Valley, noting that not having the NBA and NBAGL teams practice in the same building could make things a bit harder for the basketball operations staff. Multiple G League business operations employees were also laid off as part of the move, per The Athletic, though the Lakers are anticipating an increase in revenue as the G League team relocates to a bigger venue in a new market. That additional revenue will be used, in part, to fund infrastructure upgrades to the Lakers’ personnel, scouting, and medical departments, according to Amick and Woike.