Lakers Notes: Davis, Reaves, Westbrook, Trade Talks
Anthony Davis admits there’s a “sense of urgency” surrounding the Lakers after their 0-3 start, but he adds that it’s important not to overreact to the first week of the season, writes Dave McMenamin of ESPN. L.A. was hoping for some early wins to change the narrative about the team after missing the playoffs last season. But the Lakers have played a strong schedule so far — losing to the Warriors, Clippers and Trail Blazers — and are facing a tough two-game road trip against the Nuggets and Timberwolves.
“You don’t want to dig yourself too big of a hole,” Davis said. “But we’ve got to stay even-keeled. We can’t get rattled or flustered and things like that. Just like if we win 12 in a row. We don’t want to get too high.”
Offense is the main issue in L.A. as the Lakers are last in the league in three-point shooting at 21.2% and Davis called their shot selection late in the Portland loss “very poor.” However, there has been improvement on defense as the team leads the league with 11.3 steals per game and ranks third in points per possession.
“We’re continuously learning each other,” Davis said. “The good thing about it is we’re playing defense, ranked third in the league in defense. In all the statistical categories, we’re top-10. We just got to keep pushing. Keep our head down and move forward with the mindset we’re going into Denver (tonight) to get a win.”
There’s more on the Lakers:
- Embattled guard Russell Westbrook is expected to miss tonight’s game with a hamstring injury and Austin Reaves will take his place in the starting lineup in a move that may become permanent, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic (video link). Reaves saw time with the starting unit during the preseason, and his future in that role may depend on how the team looks against the Nuggets. Sources tell Charania that coach Darvin Ham has been working with Westbrook to figure out the best way to utilize him going forward. Westbrook hopes to be able to return Friday, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
- In an appearance on ESPN’s “Get Up,” Woj stated that the Lakers haven’t discussed deals with the Pacers or Jazz – viewed as perhaps their two most likely trade partners – since the season began (video link). He adds that the only trades currently available are the ones L.A. refused to do during the offseason.
- The Lakers have put themselves in an impossible situation by holding onto Westbrook for a second season, contends Kyle Goon of The Orange County Register. He points out that not only is Westbrook in decline, but he doesn’t have chemistry with Davis and LeBron James, as the trio is just 11-13 in the 24 games they have all played together.
Trade Breakdown: Donovan Mitchell To Cavaliers
This is the 11th installment in our series breaking down the major trades of the 2022 offseason. As opposed to giving out grades, this series explores why the teams were motivated to make the moves they did. Let’s dive into a blockbuster deal between the Cavaliers and Jazz…
On September 3, the Jazz shocked the NBA world by trading Donovan Mitchell to the Cavaliers in exchange for Lauri Markkanen, Collin Sexton (via sign-and-trade), No. 14 overall pick Ochai Agbaji, the Cavaliers’ unprotected first-round picks in 2025, 2027 and 2029, and the right to swap first-round picks with the Cavaliers in both 2026 and 2028.
Part of what made the trade with Cleveland so surprising is that nearly everyone – including Mitchell – expected him to be dealt to New York. I’m not interested in going into that hypothetical much since it didn’t happen, but I do think the Cavs were in a much better position than the Knicks to deal away significant assets.
The Cavaliers’ Perspective:
Over the past 25 years, Cleveland has made the playoffs one time without LeBron James – all the way back in 1998 under former head coach Mike Fratello. With James, the Cavs made nine postseason appearances in 11 seasons, including five trips to the NBA Finals and one championship in 2016 (the Cavs were the underdog in each of those matchups).
In those 11 seasons with James on the roster, the Cavs went 560-342 – a .621 winning percentage, or an average of almost 51 wins over an 82-game season. In the 14 seasons without James during that 25-year span, the Cavs went 420-735 – a .352 winning percentage, or an average of just under 29 wins in an 82-game season.
In the three years after James joined the Lakers in free agency in 2018, the Cavs were the worst team in the NBA, compiling a 60-159 record – a .274 winning percentage, equivalent to just over 22 wins in an 82-game season.
The reason I bring up the Cavaliers’ recent history is because they turned things around in 2021/22, finishing with a 44-38 record. Injuries derailed what had been a great start and they ultimately lost both of their games in the play-in tournament, missing out on the playoffs once again, but the season was still a resounding success.
In many ways, Cleveland’s situation entering the ’22/23 offseason mirrored Minnesota’s – both teams had been very bad without their superstars (Kevin Garnett for the Wolves), but showed a lot of promise last season. Both the Cavs and Wolves are in the midwest, feature talented young cores, and are not free agent destinations. Both were worried about the losing momentum they had gained from last season, so they made blockbuster trades with the Jazz.
The ability to acquire a 26-year-old three-time All-Star with three years remaining on his contract is extremely difficult to pull off, and the Cavs were able to land Mitchell without including any of Darius Garland, Evan Mobley or Jarrett Allen, the team’s other core players. Mitchell holds a player option in ‘25/26, but he’s highly likely to turn it down considering the salary cap is expected to go up exponentially in 2025 with a new media rights deal.
Mitchell is not a perfect fit for the roster. At 6’1″, he’s the same height as Garland, leading to defensive concerns, particularly in the playoffs against top teams. Mitchell has been below average on that end the past few seasons, and was particular poor in ‘21/22.
During the ‘21/22 regular season, opponents shot 4% better than their expected field goal percentage with Mitchell as the closest defender, which ranked 245th out of 273 players who played at least 50 games, per NBA.com. During the playoffs, he was a complete disaster defensively, with opponents shooting 9.6% better than expected – a figure that would have ranked dead last in the NBA in seven of the last nine regular seasons.
Obviously, those figures need to improve. Relying on Mobley and Allen to cover up his mistakes is not an answer to that problem, just as it wasn’t with Rudy Gobert. Mitchell needs to hold himself accountable and play with much more effort on that end.
It’s important to note that defensive field goal percentage is only one statistic and Mitchell does some things well defensively, like forcing turnovers. Last season, he ranked 23rd in the league in deflections per game (2.4) and 11th in steals per game (1.5).
He certainly has the physical attributes to be at least an average defender, if not better, like he was his first couple of seasons. Despite his relative lack of height, Mitchell possesses a 6’10” wingspan and a strong 215-pound frame, and he’s a top-tier athlete. He has been a motivated and willing defender through three games with Cleveland; we’ll see if that continues.
Mitchell makes up for defensive concerns with his offensive skill. He is an elite shot creator who was the best offensive player on the league’s top-ranked regular season offense in ‘21/22.
He has been outstanding in his first three games (38.0 MPG) with the Cavs, averaging 33.3 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 7.0 APG and 2.0 SPG on .493/.423/.875 shooting. Those numbers aren’t sustainable, but he’s been highly impressive nonetheless playing without Garland, who is currently dealing with an eye injury.
With an explosive first step and a large package of dribble-drive moves, Mitchell is extremely difficult to contain. Because he’s such a strong two-footed leaper, he only needs a sliver of space to get his jump shot off.
As a three-level scorer, Mitchell can put the ball in the hoop in a variety of ways: he can play with or without the ball, finish at the basket, draw contact, and is a very good shooter. From 2020-22, he averaged 26.1 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 5.3 APG and 1.3 SPG on .444/.368/.849 shooting.
Mitchell is an opportunist — if he sees an opening, he exploits it without hesitation. He’s nearly unstoppable if he gets a half step on his opponent due to his excellent body control and ability to change direction and speed on the fly, particularly favoring Euro-steps near the basket.
As Mitchell grew as a player, so to did Utah’s offensive rating, climbing each of his five seasons: from 16th to 14th to ninth to fourth to first. That is not a coincidence.
It’s true that the Jazz built their offensive system around Mitchell, surrounding him with strong screen-setters and shooters who could space the floor and move the ball intelligently. It’s reasonable to say Mitchell benefited from that, particularly the complementary play-makers.
It’s also reasonable to say that he’s a good enough offensive player to build your entire system around and be the top offense in the league during the regular season.
Unlike Gobert, whom I previously characterized as a floor-raiser due to his elite interior defense and rebounding, Mitchell is a ceiling-raiser due to his elite shot creation ability and high-level scoring. The Cavs are certainly hoping he can help take them to the next level.
Mitchell has never played with a team as talented as the current Cavs roster. Garland, Mobley and Allen are all under 25 years old, and should continue to improve over time. Both Garland and Allen had enormous developmental leaps in ‘21/22 when they were named first-time All-Stars, and Mobley, the Rookie of the Year runner-up, might have the highest ceiling of all four players, though Mitchell is certainly the best – and most accomplished – of the group right now.
The Jazz have gotten off to a surprising 3-0 start in ‘22/23, with victories over three playoff teams from last season. They’ve been entertaining to watch, and they have several quality NBA players, so it will be interesting to see whether president Danny Ainge and GM Justin Zanik deal away more veterans to slide down the standings or just roll with what they’ve got.
Restricted free agent Sexton finally landed the big payday he’d been looking for, receiving a four-year, $71MM deal via sign-and-trade. He was a very good scorer for the Cavs in ‘20/21, averaging 24.3 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 4.4 APG and 1.0 SPG on .475/.371/.815 shooting (.573 true shooting percentage).Western Notes: Markkanen, Hart, Bassey, Porter Jr.
Lauri Markkanen was not the centerpiece of the package the Jazz received in the Donovan Mitchell blockbuster with the Cavaliers. However, in his first regular-season week with Utah, Markkanen has played like a star, Sarah Todd of the Deseret News writes. In the first three games, he averaged 24 points, 9.7 rebounds and 3.7 assists, all career-highs.
“It’s a good fit here,” Markkanen said. “I’ve tried to stay active and aggressive on both ends every time I come out there. It’s a good start, but we’ve still got to keep learning and keep getting better.”
We have more from the Western Conference:
- Josh Hart‘s contributions are a big part of any Trail Blazers success, according to Damian Lillard. “He’s a winning teammate,” Lillard told Aaron Fentress of The Oregonian and other media members. “The way he plays the game. He plays hard. He’s physical. He does everything that you ask him to do. He’s got his teammates best interest. He communicates.” Hart’s $12.96MM salary for 2023/24 is non-guaranteed but he holds a player option and could choose to become a free agent.
- Spurs coach Gregg Popovich had a colorful response when asked about the team’s latest addition, Tom Orsborn of the San Antonio Express-News tweets. Charles Bassey was signed to a two-way contract on Monday and Jordan Hall was waived. “Management wants me to look at him, so I’m going to look at him,” Popovich said of Bassey.
- Michael Porter Jr. has shown a greater commitment to playing defense, Nuggets coach Michael Malone told Mike Singer of the Denver Post. “I’m on him a lot about his defense, but I think being a coach in a leadership position, you also have to reward them when they’re doing things correctly and build the confidence up,” Malone said, adding “right now what he’s showing me is that he cares.”
Community Shootaround: NBA’s Undefeated Teams
Just six days into the 2022/23 NBA regular season, only four teams remain undefeated.
Two of those teams are in the Eastern Conference, where the Celtics are 3-0 and the Bucks are 2-0. Both teams have picked up nice victories in the early going, with Boston defeating the Sixers in the opener and then beating the Heat on the road. The Bucks also beat the 76ers in their own season opener, picking up a win in Philadelphia last Thursday.
Still, the Celtics and Bucks were both expected to be title contenders coming into the season. They’re likely pleased to be off to good starts while missing key players (Robert Williams and Danilo Gallinari in Boston; Khris Middleton and Pat Connaughton in Milwaukee), but their early success comes as no surprise.
In the West, on the other hand, you could’ve made very good money if you’d beat a week ago that the last two undefeated teams left standing would be the Trail Blazers (3-0) and Jazz (3-0).
Portland expected to be a playoff contender after revamping its roster in the offseason, most notably trading for veteran forward Jerami Grant. But the reviews on the Blazers’ summer moves were mixed, and most experts didn’t expect them to be better than a play-in team. So their start to the season – which includes road wins over the Kings and Lakers and a home victory over Phoenix – has come as a pleasant surprise.
It certainly hasn’t been more surprising, however, than what the Jazz have done in the first week of the season. After trading away Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell in the offseason, Utah was viewed as a prime contender in the Victor Wembanyama sweepstakes, but the team opened its season with a home win over Denver and then picked up road victories in Minnesota and New Orleans.
Newly acquired forward Lauri Markkanen has looked like a star so far, leading the way with 24.0 PPG, 9.7 RPG, and 3.7 APG through three games, while Jordan Clarkson (19.0 PPG) and Kelly Olynyk (16.3 PPG; .750 3PT%) have provided secondary scoring.
The Jazz’s 3-0 start was so unexpected that it prompted Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune to write an article headlined, “What in the world is happening with this 3-0 Utah Jazz team? How are they doing this?” Larsen’s hypothesis is that the Jazz have been doing all the little stuff right and making terrific decisions, especially on offense.
The sample size is small, but we want to know whether your feelings about any of the NBA’s four undefeated teams – especially the two in the West – have changed based on their play so far.
Are you any more confident in the Blazers’ chance of making the playoffs than you were a week ago? Could the Jazz actually make a play-in push, or will their hot start be short-lived (either due to regression or more trades)? If you had any doubts about the Celtics or Bucks, have they begun to put them to rest?
Head to the comment section below to weigh in with your thoughts!
Lakers Notes: Westbrook, Possible Trade Partners, Shooting
Count Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer among the NBA analysts who believe the Lakers should be feeling some urgency to find a trade involving Russell Westbrook sooner rather than later. O’Connor opens his latest article by dubbing the former MVP a “washed-up bricklayer,” contending that the Lakers need to trade him immediately to have any chance of salvaging their season.
[RELATED: Woj: Don’t expect any Lakers trades before Thanksgiving]
While the much-discussed Pacers package of Myles Turner and Buddy Hield could certainly be one the Lakers revisit if and when they reengage in trade talks, O’Connor points to the Jazz a potential trade partner to watch.
League sources tell The Ringer that before Bojan Bogdanovic was traded to Detroit, the Lakers offered Westbrook, a future first-round pick, and second-rounders to Utah in exchange for Bogdanovic and others. O’Connor adds that sources expect the two teams to reopen their trade discussions at some point, since the Jazz still have veterans who could help the Lakers, such as Jordan Clarkson, Mike Conley, and/or Rudy Gay.
As O’Connor notes, the Hornets were viewed back in the spring as a possible trade partner for the Lakers and Westbrook, but that was when Charlotte was preparing to make a lucrative offer to Miles Bridges and was motivated to move off some multiyear salary. With Bridges’ NBA future up in the air due to domestic violence allegations, dumping long-term salary may no longer be a priority for the Hornets.
Here’s more on the Lakers and Westbrook:
- The Lakers’ offense lost its rhythm late in Sunday’s loss to Portland when Westbrook checked back into the game, according to Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report and Jovan Buha of The Athletic, who both argue that the team needs to seriously consider taking the point guard out of its closing lineup going forward.
- Westbrook was pulled for the final few possessions on Sunday, shortly after he took an ill-advised jumper early in the shot clock with the Lakers up by a point and just under 30 seconds left in the game. After the game, head coach Darvin Ham said he isn’t worried about how Westbrook will respond to being benched for the game’s final 12 seconds. “We don’t have time for feelings or people being in their feelings. Like, we’re trying to turn this thing around,” Ham said, per ESPN’s Dave McMenamin. “For one person to be in their feelings about when and where and how they should be in the game, I don’t have any time for that.”
- Anthony Davis was “visibly frustrated” after Sunday’s loss, according to McMenamin. “There’s no way we’re supposed to lose this game,” Davis said. “That’s where my frustration comes from.”
- The Lakers’ three-point shooting remained an issue on Sunday, as Broderick Turner of The Los Angeles Times writes in his takeaways from the game. The club’s 6-of-33 (18.2%) mark from beyond the arc on Sunday was its worst single-game rate yet. Through three games, the Lakers’ 21.2% three-point percentage is easily the worst in the NBA — Chicago is second-worst at 29.3%.
Northwest Notes: Timberwolves, Braun, Jokic, Vanderbilt, Beasley
The 1-1 Timberwolves are continuing to adjust to their new-look roster as the 2022/23 season gets going, writes Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic.
“The smaller we go, the better it is for me,” star Minnesota shooting guard Anthony Edwards said after the team’s 132-126 overtime loss to the rebuilding Jazz Friday night. Given that the team’s highest-paid players are seven-foot frontcourt starters Rudy Gobert and Karl-Anthony Towns, Krawczynski notes that this is a loaded statement.
“I have to get him the ball more,” head coach Chris Finch said of Edwards. “We ran a couple things to get the ball in his hands. And then, again, the ball got sticky. We tried to play through KAT there. But he’s got to get some looks. That’s on me.”
There’s more out of the Northwest Division:
- Nuggets rookie shooting Christian Braun seems to be carving out a solid bench role already, having logged a productive 23 minutes as a reserve for the Warriors, writes Harrison Wind of DNVR Sports. The 21-year-old Braun, selected out of Kansas in this year’s draft with the No. 21 pick, has emerged as a multi-faceted defender, and could prove to be a vital role player for a team with championship aspirations.
- Reigning two-time Nuggets MVP Nikola Jokic, one of the league’s best passers, looks set to thrive surrounded by sharpshooting colleagues, notes Mike Singer of The Denver Post. New additions Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Braun raved about the depths of the center’s hoops knowledge. “Jok is unbelievable,” Caldwell-Pope said. Braun added: “You try to learn from him because he knows your spot probably better than you do.”
- Jazz role players Jarred Vanderbilt and Malik Beasley have already been through their share of rebuilds, and hope to use their wealth of experience to help guide the youth movement in Utah, writes Sarah Todd of Deseret News. “Just trying to bring those same qualities and pretty much we’re in the same boat, trying to rebuild and establish a culture and create winning habits,” Vanderbilt said. “[W]e’ve been on three programs [with the Nuggets and the Timberwolves] that before we got there they weren’t playoff contending teams. “We ended up helping be a part of rebuilds and being a part of changing culture. This is not new for us.”
Sexton Says More Surprises Are Coming
- Collin Sexton had 20 points in his Jazz debut after his final season in Cleveland was cut short by a knee injury. Utah surprised Denver in the opener and Sexton feels his new teammates will continue to open some eyes, according to Tony Jones of The Athletic. “We’ve heard a lot about what we are supposed to be,” said Sexton, who received a four-year, $72MM contract in the sign-and-trade transaction. “But, we all have a lot to prove and we all want to embrace the role of being the underdog. We want to come out and surprise some people.”
- Rudy Gobert said it will be “weird” to face his former Jazz teammates on Friday, Chris Hine of the Minneapolis Star Tribune writes. “It’s all love for me,” the Timberwolves center said. “You know, I want to see these guys succeed and I’m sure they want to see me succeed, too.”
Ainge Declines To Say Whether Mitchell Asked For Trade
- Asked whether Donovan Mitchell asked the Jazz for a trade before being sent to Cleveland, CEO Danny Ainge declined to say one way or the other, writes Eric Walden of The Salt Lake Tribune. “You know, I’m not going to even comment on that, just because those are private conversations,” Ainge said. “If he doesn’t want to say it to you … You can keep asking him that question, but I won’t divulge our private conversations.”
NBA Teams With Most, Least Roster Continuity
Over the last several months, dozens of NBA players have changed teams via free agency, dozens more have entered or exited the league, and a total of 31 trades have been made. After all that offseason activity, some teams will enter the 2022/23 season looking totally different than they did in the spring, while others will look pretty similar to last season’s squads.
Roster continuity is generally perceived as a sign of stability, but carrying over a significant number of players from last year’s team doesn’t necessarily give a club a leg up entering a new season.
Heading into the 2021/22 season, for instance, the Nuggets, Kings, Hawks, and Magic were the teams with the most roster continuity, and none of those clubs had a hugely successful season (Denver and Atlanta exited the playoffs quickly, while Sacramento and Orlando didn’t make it). On the opposite end of the spectrum, the Celtics were one of the teams with the most roster turnover during the 2021 offseason and made it within two wins of a championship this past spring.
Entering the 2022/23 campaign, the Bucks, Pelicans, and Magic are the three teams bringing back the most players from last year’s end-of-season rosters (including two-way players). All three clubs retained 14 players over the summer.
It’s the third straight year in which Orlando has ranked among the teams with the least roster turnover, which suggests the team remains high on its young core and doesn’t want to break it up. Milwaukee and New Orleans, meanwhile, are joined by the Clippers (13 returning players) as teams perhaps hoping that the return of an injured star (Khris Middleton, Zion Williamson, and Kawhi Leonard, respectively) will help propel them to a deeper postseason run in 2023.
The Jazz are, unsurprisingly, the team that experienced the most roster turnover, having launched a rebuilding process that saw them trade away All-Stars Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell, among other veterans. They’re bringing back just five players.
The Lakers, who had a disaster of a year 2021/22 after bringing back just three players from the previous season’s roster, once again rank among the teams with the most roster turnover, having retained just six players from their end-of-season roster. We’ll see if this version of the new-look squad has more success than last year’s did.
Here’s the total number of returning players for each of the NBA’s 30 teams, from most to fewest:
- Milwaukee Bucks: 14
New Orleans Pelicans: 14
Orlando Magic: 14 - Chicago Bulls: 13
Los Angeles Clippers: 13
Miami Heat: 13
New York Knicks: 13 - Charlotte Hornets: 12
Phoenix Suns: 12 (*)
Toronto Raptors: 12 - Brooklyn Nets: 11
Dallas Mavericks: 11
Houston Rockets: 11
Memphis Grizzlies: 11
Oklahoma City Thunder: 11
Washington Wizards: 11 - Boston Celtics: 10
Cleveland Cavaliers: 10
Detroit Pistons: 10
Golden State Warriors: 10
Indiana Pacers: 10
Philadelphia 76ers: 10
Portland Trail Blazers: 10
Sacramento Kings: 10
San Antonio Spurs: 10 - Denver Nuggets: 9
Minnesota Timberwolves: 9 - Atlanta Hawks: 7
- Los Angeles Lakers: 6
- Utah Jazz: 5
(* The Suns’ count includes Jae Crowder, since he technically remains on the roster, even though he’s away from the team.)
Jazz Sign GM Justin Zanik To Multiyear Extension
The Jazz have signed general manager Justin Zanik to a multiyear contract extension, the team announced today in a press release.
A former player agent, Zanik originally joined the Jazz as an assistant general manager in 2013 and spent three years in that role before taking a job in the Bucks’ front office for the 2016/17 season. He returned to Utah as an assistant GM in 2017 and earned a promotion to general manager in 2019.
Although Zanik was initially below president of basketball operations Dennis Lindsey in the Jazz’s front office hierarchy and is now technically working under CEO and top decision-maker Danny Ainge, he has essentially been running the front office’s day-to-day operations since his promotion to GM in 2019.
“Justin’s basketball acumen, ability to create meaningful relationships throughout the league, and management of our front office are invaluable assets,” Ainge said in a statement. “We’re thrilled that he’ll continue to lead the team.”
Zanik’s new deal is a signal that Jazz ownership is happy with the job that he and the front office did this summer reshaping the roster and building for the future.
The Jazz acquired a total of seven unprotected first-round picks, a top-five protected first-rounder, and three future first-round pick swaps in trades involving Rudy Gobert, Donovan Mitchell, and Royce O’Neale during the offseason, setting the franchise up to be a player in the Victor Wembanyama sweepstakes this season.