The Los Angeles Lakers clearly did not want to miss out on landing Pepperdine wing Maxwell Lewis in the 2023 NBA draft. ESPN’s Dave McMenamin noted that Lewis made a “major impression” with the Los Angeles front office during his pre-draft workout. So much so that the Lakers sent the Pacers more than $4 million to move up from No. 47 to No. 40 in order to land Lewis.

This does not account for Lewis’ salary which the Lakers will also need to factor in assuming he makes the final roster. For context, Bryce McGowens, who was the No. 40 pick in the 2022 NBA draft, has a four-year, $7 million contract with the Hornets.

“The Lakers made a significant commitment to make sure they could get a chance at Maxwell Lewis, sending ~$4m to Indiana to move up from 47 to 40,” McMenamin tweeted on June 23, 2023. “The rangy 6-7 forward out of Pepperdine made a major impression in his predraft workout with the team.”

According to Sports Illustrated’s Tony East, Los Angeles moved a massive $4.35 million to Indiana as part of the second-round trade. The 6’6″ wing has a sizable 7’0″ wingspan with the potential to emerge as a 3-and-D NBA player for LA.

Lewis averaged 17.1 points, 5.7 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game while shooting 34.8% from long range during the 2022-23 season. The Waves standout was named to the All-WCC team for his play last season.

New Los Angeles Lakers Wing Maxwell Lewis Is Drawing Comparisons to Spurs Guard Devin Vassell

The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor sees shades of Spurs guard Devin Vassell in Lewis’ game. The draft analyst praised Lewis’ “playmaking skill and vision” for passing, particularly his ability to connect with big men.

“Knockdown 3-point shooter off the catch with flawless mechanics,” O’Connor wrote in his pre-draft profile of Lewis. “He’s not a dynamic threat off screens or handoffs, but he is excellent at one-dribble or two-dribble pull-ups and stepbacks.

“…He’s not a lead guard, but he has the playmaking skill and vision for dishing to bigs in the dunker spot or throwing darts to spot-up shooters. When involved in two-man games, his combo of shooting, passing, and perception make him a constant threat.

“High-effort defender with a large frame and good length. Has the upside to become a super versatile defender if his quickness and focus improves.”

The LA Lakers Passed on Trading Their No. 17 Pick for an Established Veteran

Los Angeles had been mentioned in trade rumors leading up the draft. The Athletic’s Jovan Buha reported that the Lakers passed on packing the No. 17 pick, Malik Beasley and Mo Bamba for an established veteran that may have been more of a win-now fit alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis.

“They couldn’t find a trade that made sense, missing a valuable opportunity to flip the contracts of Malik Beasley and Mo Bamba, along with the No. 17 pick, ahead of free agency for a better rotation player who would upgrade next season’s roster,” Buha detailed on June 23. “Instead, they drafted two rangy perimeter players that they believe will grow into key members of their core.

“There’s always the chance that the Lakers include one or both of their rookies in a future transaction, depending on how their offseason options play out. But for now, the Lakers appear content with first seeing what they have with Hood-Schifino and Lewis.”

The Los Angeles Lakers got to work following the draft signing several undrafted free agents including former Missouri standout guard D’Moi Hodge, per Los Angeles Times’ Dan Woike. The Lakers also signed a pair of ex-Florida players to undrafted deals: big man Colin Castleton and forward Alex Fudge.

“The Lakers are signing Missouri G D’Moi Hodge to a 2-way contract, sources tell the @latimes,” Woike detailed in a series of June 23, 2023 tweets. “Shot 40 percent on 7 threes per game this year. Former DPOY in the Horizon League. From the British Virgin Islands.”

Hodge averaged 14.7 points, 3.9 rebounds, 2.6 steals, and 1.6 assists while shooting 40% from long range for the Tigers during the 2022-23 season. The guard spent his previous two collegiate seasons at Cleveland State where he was named to the 2021-22 All-Horizon team.

New Los Angeles Lakers Guard D’Moi Hodge Could Be a Potential 3-and-D NBA Player

The 6-foot-3 guard has a 6-foot-5 wingspan and was ranked as The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie’s No. 82 ranked overall player. Hodge and the other undrafted prospects will be fighting for a Lakers roster spot, but the guard projects as a potential 3-and-D player at the next level.

“Hodge is a disruptive defender that can cause chaos at the point of attack,” Sports Illustrated’s scouting report of Hodge noted. “He has quick hands and reaction speed which results in him averaging nearly three steals per game. Hodge doesn’t have ridiculous upside but there’s a role in the NBA for his archetype as a 3-and-D wing, especially since he excels at both of those skills.

“The productive guard can make a variety of different shots off the catch, movement, and dribble while also defending with toughness. He has smooth shot mechanics with good touch from all around the perimeter. However, he doesn’t have a ton of creation skills or advanced passing ability but he plays a role at a high level that every NBA organization wants on their roster.”

Los Angeles Lakers News: LA Labeled Jalen Hood-Schifino as a ‘Lottery Level Talent’

The Lakers drafted former Indiana guard Jalen Hood-Schifino at No. 17 and Pepperdine forward Maxwell Lewis at No. 40, a second-round pick Los Angeles moved up to make. The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor praised the Lakers draft adding it “seems they have a good draft every single year.”

“I love what the Lakers did tonight,” O’Connor tweeted on June 23. “JHS can help short term and develop into an important post-LeBron piece. Lewis is great value at 40. Three good undrafted pickups, especially Castleton. Seems they have a good draft every single year.”

Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka labeled Hood-Schifino as a “lottery level talent.” The former Hoosiers guard averaged 13.5 points, 4.1 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game while connecting on 33.3% of his threes during the 2022-23 season.

“We have a great scouting department here. All the scouts are able to get around the country and see these guys play early, and it ends up with us doing a ranking that usually happens about a week before draft night,” Pelinka said during a June 23 press conference. “And on everybody’s board, Jalen was a target and well ahead of 17.

“So, when you have a player where all your scouts and the rest of the people in the front office have him identified as a target, it’s a consensus decision. So, this was an easy one for us. We had him ranked as a lottery level talent and to get him outside of the lottery just is great value, great value.”

The NBA Draft was less eventful than some had predicted for the Los Angeles Lakers but the team still added some key pieces to the roster before the night was over.

The Lakers drafted Jalen Hood-Schifino at No. 17 and added Pepperdine wing Maxwell Lewis in the second round. But the Lakers remained active after the draft wrapped up, signing Florida center Colin Castleton to a two-way contract, per Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times.

Castleton was one of the most experienced players available with five college seasons under his belt. Castleton comes in at 6-foot-11 and 231 pounds and can provide some depth for the Lakers on their backline with some uncertainty stewing. He averaged 14.9 points, 7.8 rebounds and 2.5 blocks in 78 games during his college career at Florida and Michigan.

Here’s what RotoWire had to say about Castleton in his draft profile:

Despite standing 6-foot-11 with a 7-foot-4 wingspan at 230 pounds, Castleton is a fluid and agile big. A gifted one-on-one shot blocker and a skilled team defender, he represented a critical defensive anchor throughout his time at Florida. His excellent reach allows him to contest shots everywhere on the floor, but his comparatively slow speed makes him more of a containment and drop-coverage big when not hovering in the paint. Offensively, Castleton operated primarily as a post-up big and roll man. He took 57.9 % of his shots at the rim.

The Lakers also signed Missouri guard D’Moi Hodge to a two-way deal and inked Alex Fudge to an Exhibit-10 contract.

Jalen Hood-Schifino Excited to be a Laker

There was a lot of talk about the Lakers trading their No. 17 pick for a veteran player but they stood pat, drafting Hood-Schifino. He played one year at Indiana, averaging 13.5 points, 4.1 rebounds and 3.7 assists.

Hood-Schifino is pumped to sport the purple and gold of the Lakers, citing his admiration of Kobe Bryant.

“The Lakers were the first team I worked out for. Great visit, great workout, great meeting,” Hood-Schifino said after being selected. “Just hearing my name called by the Lakers was kinda crazy, because I’ve always been a Kobe fan. It was a full circle moment for me.”

During his visit with the Lakers, Hood-Schifino was asked who he’d like to have lunch with from anybody throughout history. The 20-year-old responded with Kobe Bryant.

“His Mamba Mentality is a code he has lived by,” Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka said. “You could tell he didn’t throw that out because it was a Lakers interview; it felt from the heart.”

Lakers Still Focused on Building Championship Roster

The work is not done for the Lakers, who still have a bevy of roster decisions to make before the start of the year.

“The end goal is for us to put a championship-level product on the court,” Pelinka said. “Sometimes you can’t make all of your moves in one fell swoop but we’re really excited about how the draft panned out”

It sounded like the Lakers were at least investigating a move prior to making their first-round selection. Jovan Buha of The Atheltic reported that the Lakers were talking to the Nets about potentially trading back, which could have included a veteran player like Dorian Finney-Smith or Royce O’Neale.

The Los Angeles Lakers are moving up in the draft after swinging off a draft day trade with the Indiana Pacers.

The Lakers sent the No. 47 pick and cash to the Pacers to the 40th overall pick in the draft, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. It was an interesting move from the Lakers to move up seven spots in the second round and the team sent a hefty $4.35 million to Indiana in the move, per team insider Tony East.

The Lakers now have the No. 17 overall pick along with their newly acquired No. 40 from the Pacers.

Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka either has his eye on a prospect that he’s hoping will land in that range or perhaps it’s part of a larger deal if they choose to package the picks together.

Lakers Linked to Pacers Stars Buddy Hield, Myles Turner

Getty ImagesBuddy Hield of the Indiana Pacers.

Frankly, it’s not the move that many were expecting between the Pacers and Lakers. Buddy Hield and Myles Turner are two players on the Pacers’ roster who the Lakers have been heavily linked to for quite some time.

Jovan Buha of The Athletic listed Hield and Turner as players the Lakers are eyeing with a potential draft-day move.

“Names around the league that have been linked to the Lakers in recent weeks include Indiana’s Myles Turner and Buddy Hield, Brooklyn’s Dorian Finney-Smith and Royce O’Neale, Toronto’s Gary Trent Jr. and Washington’s Kristaps Porziņģis, according to multiple league sources not authorized to speak publicly,” Buha wrote on June 21.

Hield has been linked to the Lakers for years now. He nearly landed with the Lakers in 2021 for Kyle Kuzma but that trade ended up falling through. LA instead landed Russell Westbrook, which turned out to be a bit of a disaster for all sides involved.

Hield would add some much-needed shooting for the Lakers. He averaged 16.8 points last season in Indiana, shooting better than 45 percent from beyond the arc.

Turner is another player the Lakers have sniffed around recently. He’s an excellent shot-blocker and rim protector, but can also shoot (37.3 percent from 3-point land). Turner averaged 18 points last season to go with 7.5 rebounds and 2.3 blocks.

Lakers ‘Hunting’ for Move With First-Round Pick

The common sentiment from insiders is that the Lakers will not hang on to their first-round pick and are looking to make a move of some sort.

“Watch the Lakers,” ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said on “First Take” on Thursday. “The Lakers are hunting around to do something at [pick] 17 — either move back to get an additional pick or to trade it for a veteran.”

If the Lakers stand pat at No. 17, CBS Sports has LA taking Jaime Jaquez Jr. out of UCLA.

“Twenty-two-year-olds don’t frequently climb this high in drafts, but Jaquez has had a strong few weeks on the pre-draft circuit and could be an exception,” Kyle Boone of CBS Sports wrote. “He’s a savvy, experienced guard who can be a creator and scorer and embraces his role as a defensive playmaker to boot.”

LeBron James is fed up with Anthony Davis, per a new report, sparking some talk about the Los Angeles Lakers potentially trading the All-Star big man.

Davis landed with the Lakers in 2019 and it didn’t take long for the move to pay dividends. James and Davis led the Lakers to the 2020 title and the partnership between the two stars was tremendous.

More recently, things have not gone as swimmingly. Both Davis and James have dealt with injuries, bringing into question if they can be a core of a championship team. CBS Sports NBA insider Bill Reiter has heard rumblings that James has grown frustrated with Davis and is open to going another direction with his co-star.

“I’ve heard he’s over Anthony Davis. He’s frustrated with the guy. He doesn’t believe in his toughness for obvious reasons,” Reiter said during an appearance on the Zach Gelb Show. “But I’m extremely curious if the Lakers — I don’t think they will — but do anything really bold and maybe move AD. I’m not saying they’re going to, I’m just saying, LeBron is angry and he doesn’t believe in AD as his No. 2. I think LA is under a lot of pressure from LeBron.”

Lakers Do Not Want to Trade Anthony Davis

Moving Davis would be an NBA landscape-shifting move. He’s still elite when healthy, which he showed multiple times during the Lakers’ postseason run. However, the soon-to-be 39-year-old James has limited time left to chase titles and can’t have a season derailed by an injury to Davis.

There’s also the fact that the Lakers likely don’t want to trade Davis and general manager Rob Pelinka has built up enough credibility in the building to say no to James’ alleged demand.

“I think there’s a 3.5 percent chance [of the trade happening],” Reiter said. “If Rob Pelinka hadn’t pulled off such a really impressive plate of moves at the trade deadline and brought in these random guys that became not so random and made the Lakers team that obviously made the Conference Finals, my percentage would be higher. There’s a bit of a power struggle, or political struggle, going on between LeBron and Pelinka.

“I don’t think Pelinka is just going to bow down to what LeBron wants, especially moving on from Anthony Davis. But I do think LeBron is over AD and I think there’s not 0 percent chance or something like that could happen.”

Lakers See LeBron James, Anthony Davis as Pillars

Pelinka expressed a very clear plan for the future after the Lakers were bounced from the postseason, with James and Davis positioned to serve as the team’s core.

“LeBron and AD as two pillars is, you know, to us an unmatched combination that will continue to lean into and build around,” Pelinka said. “Both incredibly high-character players that want to win (and) play the game the right way. We’re proud of that combination of superstars and want to continue to invest in that and invest in advancing the growth we had this year into next season.”

Pelinka and the Lakers’ front office have some work ahead of them this offseason to put the right pieces around their two stars. Some key decisions they’ll have to make are with restricted free agents Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura, as well as D’Angelo Russell (unrestricted free agent), Malik Beasley (team option) and others.

NEW YORK – When you have a father who played for eight different franchises and was an assistant coach after his final NBA stop, you are bound to have a significant number of connections when you enter the NBA draft. Thus it is for Jett Howard, whose father, Juwan Howard, bounced around quite a bit in 19 seasons in the league.

But it is one connection Juwan Howard has that should be of special interest to Lakers fans: For two seasons, he was a teammate at Michigan with a shooting guard named Rob Pelinka, who has since gone on to be the general manager of the Los Angeles Lakers. And the Lakers have the No. 17 pick in this year’s NBA draft, right in the range in which Jett Howard is expected to be picked.

“I worked out for the Lakers,” Howard said on Wednesday, pointing out that it was a short workout of just about 30 minutes. “Rob was there, talked to him a little bit. I have known him so long, it was kind of an organic conversation. And yeah, if they pick me, I would be more than happy to play for them.”

Howard’s Father Has Helped Through the Draft Process

Howard did not knock off anyone’s socks in his one season at Michigan, but he was solid throughout, averaging 14.8 points and making 36.8% of his 3-pointers. He slumped late in the season, as Michigan closed with a 5-7 record in its last 12 games, Howard making just 36.2% of his overall shots in that stretch.

Still, he is viewed as a capable shot-maker in this group, and the Lakers are believed to be looking for bench scoring this offseason.

Howard said he has not been able to lean much on his father during the draft process, because when Juwan was drafted in 1994, he went No. 5 overall.

“From a draft standpoint, he only worked out for one team because he was so high,” Jett Howard said. “So it’s different. But he is definitely telling me all the little tricks and ways to make everything go smoothly and just make the best of any situation you’re in. Having him behind me makes me more comfortable.”

Howard Could Land in Miami

There is a chance that Howard could be gone by the time the Lakers choose, perhaps to another team that has a Juwan Howard connection—the Miami Heat. Juwan Howard wrapped up his NBA career in a Miami uniform and was an assistant with the Heat before taking over at Michigan.

Even if he does go off the board by then, the Lakers have other options as potential bench scorers, including Connecticut guard Jordan Hawkins, who led the Huskies to this year’s national title, and Ohio State wing Brice Sensabaugh.

It’s possible the Lakers take an unorthodox path with the No. 17 pick, too, and take a big man. There have been rumors about the team trying to trade up to take Dereck Lively from Duke.

Some within the team feel that guard Max Christie is ready for NBA minutes next season. Currently, Christie is the only player on the L.A. roster who was drafted by the team, though Austin Reaves is entirely homegrown after having gone undrafted two years ago.

Howard will be eagerly awaiting to see whether his fate takes him back into Pelinka’s orbit.

“I don’t know, I really don’t know,” Howard said. “I am kinda comfortable with not knowing, I just try to have my mindset ready. I feel like if I get too hyped for one situation and that situation doesn’t work out, you’re going to be bummed. So, I would rather go into it being ready for any situation.”

Kyle Kuzma is a free agent after opting out of the final year of his deal with the Washington Wizards and there’s a chance he could find his way back to the Los Angeles Lakers.

Kuzma officially opted out of his deal on Tuesday that would have paid him $13 million next season. After a strong showing in Washington last season — averaging a career-high 21.2 points — he’s expected to be a coveted asset for teams around the league.

NBA analyst Jake Weinbach linked Kuzma to multiple teams but made a special note about a potential reunion with the Lakers.

“Potential suitors for Kuzma could include the Pacers, Rockets, Spurs, Kings, and Jazz. A reunion with the Lakers is also a looming possibility,” Weinbach tweeted.

The Lakers sent Kuzma to Washington in a trade that brought Russell Westbrook to LA. The situation with Westbrook ended up being an unmitigated disaster but Kuzma thrived in a larger role in Washington out of the spotlight that comes with wearing purple and gold.

Kyle Kuzma Has Tumultuous Tenure With Lakers

Kuzma had some good times with the Lakers and also some dark ones. He was constantly brought up in trade rumors and his play was under a microscope playing alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis.

“It’s a double-edged sword, a double-edged sword, for sure,” Kuzma told Mellisa Rohlin of Fox Sports in January. “I believe that it was some of the best things to ever happen to me, you know, getting drafted, being a Laker, having that platform. Having millions and millions of people globally know who you are, that’s a blessing. That’s part of being a Laker. Learning from LeBron, winning a championship — it’s all been great.”

That’s not to say that it was all rainbows and butterflies for Kuzma with the Lakers. He was asked to sacrifice and didn’t feel like he got a fair shake, sharing that it was tough to be the “little bro” in the locker room.

“One night, you might get 10 shots. The next night, maybe they just need you to rebound. The next night, you might get 15 minutes. The next night, you might get 29 [minutes]. You never know. That’s [not getting] the fair end of the stick,” Kuzma said. “When I was in the moment and I was young, [I was] frustrated a lot of nights because, man, I really want this. I really want this. Everybody who knows me knows I’m really competitive. I really love basketball. A lot of nights it bothered me that I never got the chance to do what I’m doing now, play me.”

It all worked out for Kuzma, who has the ability to pick his next squad and should cash in thanks to his play. The Lakers would be an interesting suitor for Kuzma but they won’t be bringing the most lucrative offer to the table.

Lakers Have Priorities for Offseason

A reunion with a much-improved Kuzma might be appealing but the Lakers have their priorities for the offseason. That includes keeping their core together with new deals for Rui Hachimura and Austin Reaves.

“We’re incredibly proud of this group, getting to the Western Conference Finals,” general manager Rob Pelinka said in his exit interview. “After the trade deadline, we had one of the top records in the league. I think keeping that continuity is going to be very important. We ultimately got knocked out by a team that has great continuity.”

The Lakers are also exploring other options but their hope is to keep some flexibility. Chris Paul has also been floated as an option for LA if he’s bought out by the Wizards following the blockbuster trade involving Bradley Beal. However, the Lakers only would only entertain the idea if it was for the veteran’s minimum.

With the 2023 NBA Draft closing in on June 22, trade rumors continue to heat up. It has been a relatively quiet trade season for the Los Angeles Lakers, but they are in a position to make a deal if the right one is presented.

There are superstar players who could potentially be available like Chris Paul or Kyrie Irving. If the Lakers prefer to build out the depth on the roster over adding a third superstar next to LeBron James and Anthony Davis, the Detroit Pistons could be a team worth reaching out to.

In a Bleacher Report video titled “Should Pistons Trade for Malik Beasley?,” Ku Khahil pitched a deal that sends Beasley and the 17th overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft for veteran forward Bojan Bogdanovic. He’s quite confident this deal will actually happen.

“Out of all the trades I have on here, I think is the most likely one,” Khahil said. “I could really see both teams wanting to do this. … I’ll be honest, I would not be shocked if this trade happened on draft night.”

Bojan Bogdanovic Was Linked to Los Angeles Lakers Trade During Season

This is not the first time the Lakers have been linked to Bojan Bogdanovic. The team was heavily involved in trade rumors surrounding the forward during last season. According to a January 23 report from The Athletic’s Jovan Buha, Bogdanovic was the top name linked to Los Angeles prior to the trade deadline.

“Detroit’s Bojan Bogdanovic continues to be the name most often tied to the Lakers in league circles,” Buha wrote at the time.

The Lakers ended up deciding to do a three-team deal with the Minnesota Timberwolves and Utah Jazz that brought Malik Beasley, D’Angelo Russell and Jarred Vanderbilt to Los Angeles. While Russell and Vanderbilt were important pieces during the playoff run, Beasley fell out of the rotation. He didn’t play more than 15 minutes in a single playoff game and didn’t even see the court in four games. Bogdanovic has made 38.2% of his 3-point shots in the playoffs and has averaged 31.1 minutes played a game in 47 career playoff games.

Los Angeles Lakers Not Expected to Make Splashy Moves

The Lakers could decide to take a big swing this offseason and add another superstar, but they tried that in 2021 with the Russell Westbrook trade. That move didn’t work out as the team missed the playoffs in Westbrook’s first year and then was traded during his second season.

According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Lakers plan to have a more subtle approach this offseason.

“There’s no big game hunting out there for this Laker organization,” Wojnarowski said on a June 16 episode of ESPN’s “Get Up.” “In this league right now, with a new collective bargaining agreement, you can’t really pay three max superstars and expect to have any depth on your roster. It’s going to look a lot the same, but think about a team next year that goes the entire season with [Rui] Hachimura, with [Austin] Reaves as your starter. They’ve got a chance to be very, very competitive in the West.”

It’s possible they would consider adding a player like Chris Paul, but it would have to come at a discount as the team is committed to building out its depth.

Kyle Lowry’s future with the Miami Heat is an unknown, but if he hits the open market, the Los Angeles Lakers could make for a prime landing spot.

The 37-year-old Lowry is coming off a turbulent season in Miami. He played in just 55 games due to various injuries and lost his starting role in the back half of the season. Lowry averaged 11.2 points, 5.1 assists and 4.1 rebounds during the regular season, playing just over 31 minutes per game.

Lowry did not take the demotion to the bench too harshly and came up big in some postseason games for the Heat.

“Kyle, he’s all about winning. At this stage in his career, when you have more yesterdays than you have tomorrows, it’s really about these kind of competitive moments on the biggest stage,” Heat coach Eric Spoelstra said during the NBA Finals. “That’s what drives him more than anything, is the ultimate competition.”

Lowry is due to make $29.6 million next season. Miami is likely to shop him as they search to improve the roster and use his salary as a money-matcher in potential trades. Bleacher Report identified the Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers and Philadelphia 76ers as potential post-buy-out homes for Lowry.

“Should Miami chase another star like Damian Lillard, Lowry would almost have to be included as well. Of course, this is good news for contenders who need help at point guard and don’t have a lot of money to spend. If Lowry is traded to Portland or another destination undergoing a rebuild, he’ll almost certainly be bought out and join the free-agency pool,” Bleacher Report’s Greg Swartz wrote. ” Look for Lowry to get traded and bought out, only to sign a veteran’s minimum deal with a championship hopeful.”

Kyle Lowry Offered in Heat’s Package for Bradley Beal

The Heat have already been involved in trade rumors this offseason and Lowry’s name was attached. Miami offered Lowry, Duncan Robinson and some first-round picks to Washington for Bradley Beal, who ended up going to the Phoenix Suns.

The Heat are still eyeing a deal for Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard.

One team insider is worried that all the trade talk this offseason might make it tough to bring back the same roster if a blockbuster trade doesn’t happen.

“Stuff does get out, and when stuff does get out, okay, it makes it uncomfortable,” Heat insider Ethan Skolnick said on the “Five on the Floor” podcast. “And now you have a situation if they end up bringing back roughly the same team. If Kyle Lowry is back in camp again and Tyler Herro is back again in camp again and Victor Oladipo opts in and is back in camp again, I’m sorry, it’s gonna be awkward as s**t. It just is.”

Lakers Watching Chris Paul’s Situation Carefully

Another veteran guard the Lakers have their sights set on is Chris Paul, who was part of Phoenix’s package for Beal. The Wizards are expected to buy Paul out, although there’s no urgency at the moment to get something done.

“The Wizards are in no hurry, I’m told, to start discussing the possibility of a contract buyout,” ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski said.

The Lakers are very interested in adding Paul — a good friend of LeBron James — to the roster. However, the stipulation would be that they do so for the veteran’s minimum after he’s bought out. The Wizards are at least going to investigate their trade options with Paul, although they might not get many bites for the 38-year-old point guard.

Former Los Angeles Lakers guard Lou Williams has announced his retirement from the NBA. The veteran of 17 seasons made the announcement in a June 18 Instagram post.

Williams has been a staple as one of the premier sixth men in the NBA. He was named Sixth Man of the Year in 2015, 2018 and 2019. Williams bounced around a few teams throughout his career. He originally joined the Philadelphia 76ers in 2005 as a second-round pick out of South Gwinnett high school in Snellville, Georgia.

Prior to his retirement, he was one of only two remaining players in the NBA that joined straight out of high school along with LeBron James. Williams barely made the cut as the league stopped allowing high school players to enter the draft in 2006. After seven seasons with Philadelphia, he signed with the Atlanta Hawks where he spent two seasons before landing with the Toronto Raptors in 2014. That’s where he won his first Sixth Man of the Year award following a season where he averaged 15.5 points a game.

Williams then moved on to the Lakers but lasted less than two seasons before getting traded to the Houston Rockets. He made his way back to Los Angeles to play for the Clippers. That’s where he had the most success. In four seasons with the Clippers, he averaged 19.1 points a game and won two Sixth Man of the Year awards. He eventually returned to the Hawks, but couldn’t find a team to sign him last season. At 36 years old, he finally decided it was time to call it a career.

Lou Williams Is All-Time Leading Bench Scorer

Williams was never the biggest name in the NBA and never made an All-Star team. Despite that, his name will be in the history books. The 13,396 career points he scored off the bench are more than any player in league history. Only 2,197 of his 15,593 career points came when he was a starter.

Williams has a 2,117-point lead over Jamal Crawford, who is the second-highest-scoring bench player ever. Former Lakers teammate and current Utah Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson is now the active leader in bench scoring with 6,973 points. He has a long way to go if he’s going to catch Williams before he retires.

Los Angeles Lakers Send Lou Williams Retirement Message

Williams didn’t spend a long time with the Lakers. He only played in 125 games with the team. He’ll always be remembered as a member of the team despite his brief stint due to the fact that he played with the late Kobe Bryant during his final season. The Lakers made sure to send Williams a message following the retirement announcement.

Williams was on the court during Bryant’s final game against Utah Jazz that the Lakers won 101-96 after the Hall of Famer put up 60 points. In a 2020 interview with ESPN, Williams discussed what it was like being a part of that game.

“What stands out was the mix between I’m gonna win this basketball game and he was really on top of the world,” Williams said. “He was having a ball and you can see it. Him winking at his family, him interacting with his family and friends. You know this one game, if you play for the Lakers, you have this thing called celebrity row. Well, we had a celebrity arena that night. Everybody was there. You had Kanye West and Jay-Z and all of these guys. Some of these celebrities were sitting on regular seats. This was a must-see game. And he went out there and put 60 on the board. And it was a comeback win.”

LeBron James’ future continues to prompt NBA rumors despite the superstar signing a two-year, $97 million contract extension with the Los Angeles Lakers during the 2022 offseason. James does have a player option next summer that would allow him to be a free agent in 2024.

The only way the Lakers trade James is if the NBA legend pushes to be dealt, but there are no signs of this happening despite Kyrie Irving’s recruiting efforts on behalf of the Mavericks. Bleacher Report’s Greg Swartz believes James should opt out next offseason and end his career with the Cavaliers.

“The Cavs just won 51 games and were the No. 1 defensive team in the NBA with a core four that averages 23.8 years in age,” Swartz wrote on June 16, 2023. “All that’s missing? An upgrade at small forward, one who can generate some offense after they looked stuck in the mud during their first-round meeting with the New York Knicks.

“A starting five of Garland, Mitchell, James, Mobley and Allen would be the best in the East, if not the entire NBA. With the Boston Celtics taking a step back this season, the Philadelphia 76ers possibly losing James Harden to free agency and the Milwaukee Bucks’ core growing older, the Cavaliers would quickly take over the conference once again by adding a talent like James to an already impressive young roster.”

LeBron James on a Cavaliers Reunion: ‘The Door’s Not Closed on That’

James created headlines during the 2022 NBA All-Star Weekend in Cleveland by leaving the door open for a potential return to the Cavs. Since then, James signed a new deal with the Lakers, but the star can become a free agent after this upcoming season as referenced above.

“The door’s not closed on that,” James told The Athletic’s Jason Lloyd for a February 19, 2022 feature. “I’m not saying I’m coming back and playing, I don’t know. I don’t know what my future holds. I don’t even know when I’m free.”

A strong argument can be made that the Cavaliers have a much more appealing roster than the Lakers. James could potentially form a new big three alongside Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland, not to mention Evan Mobley’s upside. Cleveland is projected to have $30.4 million in cap space during the 2024-25 offseason, per Spotrac, meaning the franchise would have to work some magic to afford James unless the superstar is willing to take a significant pay cut.

NBA Rumors: Could LeBron James Team Up With His Son Bronny James on the Cavs?

The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported that Irving is attempting to push James to join him in Dallas despite plenty of rumors linking the point guard to Los Angeles. James would have to demand a trade to Dallas, and there is no evidence that the four-time NBA champion wants out of LA.

The Lakers star has been open about his desire to play in the NBA with his oldest son Bronny James. James’ namesake committed to play at USC and the soonest the guard is eligible to play in the NBA in 2024. It is not a coincidence that James has a player option this same offseason that would allow him to potentially join the franchise that drafts Bronny.

This would require his son to emerge as a legitimate 2024 NBA draft prospect. Swartz makes the argument for the Cavaliers making a run at the James duo.

“When the Cavs traded for Mitchell last September, they agreed to send unprotected first-round picks in 2025, 2027 and 2029 while also including the right to swap first-rounders in 2026 and 2028,” Swartz added. “Cleveland already owed a first-rounder to the Indiana Pacers this summer.

“This means the only year the Cavaliers didn’t surrender full control over their first-round pick between now and the following decade is 2024, when Bronny is draft-eligible and James is free to pick his next team.”

While Victor Wembanyama will get the attention in this year’s NBA draft, make no mistake: Executives and scouts expect this to be a deep class, full of NBA-caliber defenders on the wing and potential stars at the point-guard spot. Teams like Indiana (three first-round picks, two second-rounders), Utah (three first-round picks) and Charlotte (two first-rounders, three second-rounders) are lined up to score big, either with rookie picks or with trades.

We have covered the lottery picks here: Mock Draft Picks 1-14 

And you can have a look at the second-round picks here: NBA Mock Draft 2nd Rounders

Below, we have a projection for the rest of the first round.

Picks 15-19: The Contenders (Lakers, Heat, Warriors) Get Their Men

15. Hawks. Keyonte George, SG, Baylor. George is a solid defensive player who can score in a variety of ways. He is not a jaw-dropping athlete or flawless shooter, but he notched 15.3 points per game in his only season with the Bears.

16. Jazz. Nick Smith, G, Arkansas.  The Jazz are candidates to make a trade with their two Top 20 picks, but they figure to be in position at No. 16 to grab a player who is also getting Top 10 consideration—in this case, Smith, a versatile scorer who could eventually replace Jordan Clarkson.

17. Lakers. Jett Howard, SF, Michigan. Howard was disappointing during his freshman year but did show that he can be a knockdown perimeter shooter, and those are in short supply. The Lakers still have Anthony Davis and LeBron James, of course, but they are building a potent supporting cast around them.

18. Heat. Jordan Hawkins, SG, UConn. The Heat could welcome a polished and accomplished shooter like Hawkins—a young guy who fits their win-now outlook. He did lead the Huskies to the national title, after all.

19. Warriors. Jaime Jaquez, SF, UCLA. Jack-of-all trades forward who has garnered interest from contenders looking to add a rotation player in the draft. There are not many of those, but Jaquez is 22 and has four years playing under Mick Cronin with the Bruins behind him.

Picks 20-25: Nets Nab 2 Role Players

20. Rockets. Olivier-Maxence Prosper, PF, Marquette. A long, defensive-minded combo forward with top-notch switchability. There will be teams considering OMP in the teens, and it’s possible the Rockets could deal out of this spot for a contender looking to bring him in.

21. Nets. Noah Clowney, PF, Alabama. The Nets are loaded with wings who can masquerade as power forwards, but Clowney could give them a player who is a no-doubt 4 capable of playing small-ball 5. If he develops as a shooter, he’d be a steal.

22. Nets. Brandin Podziemski, PG/SG, Santa Clara. The Nets could be heavily involved in trade activity in the next couple of weeks, but they do have back-to-back picks and could address their long-term needs in the backcourt. Podziemski has potential as a point guard and shot 43.8% as a 3-point shooter last season.

23. Trail Blazers. Andre Jackson, SF, UConn. No matter what direction the Blazers go, they’re going to need some defenders. If they have this pick, Jackson is dogged defender who can guard the perimeter and help in the middle.

24. Kings. Kris Murray, F, Iowa. Would it be too much to ask for the Kings to keep their magical season rolling by landing Keegan Murray’s twin brother, Kris, with the No. 24 pick? Kris Murray averaged 20.2 points and 7.9 rebounds as a junior at Iowa, so he may well be off he board. But if he is there, the Kings are almost required to take him.

25. Grizzlies. Jalen Hood-Schifino, PG, Indiana. Scouts have varying opinions on Hood-Schifino, and if he gets past the Jazz at No. 16, it could be a steep drop. He could get a chance to play early on with Ja Morant suspended.

Picks 26-30: Will the Pacers Keep Their Picks?

26. Pacers. GG Jackson, PF, South Carolina. Jackson has some red flags when it comes to maturity—his team was a mess this season—but he has potential as a two-way big man and it’s rumored he has a first-round promise.

27. Hornets. Colby Jones, SG, Xavier. Jones is a versatile scorer who could be a valuable bench asset early in his career, a glue-guy passer who can defend, too. He averaged 15.0 points, 5.7 rebounds and 4.4 assists, making 50.1% of his shots and 37.8% of his 3-pointers as a junior last year, a jack-of-all-trades who is NBA-ready.

28. Jazz. Brice Sensabaugh, G/F, Ohio State. The Jazz could look to move this pick, especially if Sensabaugh–a heavy-duty volume scorer who figures to be a solid sixth man in the NBA–is still on the board.

29. Pacers. Sidy Cissoko, SG, G-League. Cissoko is an underrated prospect who should land in the first round. He’s 6-foot-8 and struggles as a shooter, but he is NBA-ready defensively.

30. LA Clippers (expected to be traded to the Wizards). Amari Bailey, SG, UCLA. Bailey showed steady progress over the course of last season, and that could—probably should—land him in the first round. He was a much-hyped prospect who had a muted freshman season with the Bruins, but his consistent improvement is promising.

Check out Heavy Sports’ projected lottery picks here: Mock Draft Picks 1-14 

And Heavy’s projected second-round picks are here: NBA Mock Draft 2nd Rounders

The Los Angeles Lakers are exploring all their options to improve this offseason and Toronto Raptors wing Gary Trent Jr. has been floated as a potential target.

Trent averaged 17.4 points, 2.6 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game last season and is a career 38.4 percent 3-point shooter. He’d be a welcomed addition to the cast in Los Angeles and would be a solid addition alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis.

Trent was pitched as a draft-night trade target by Alex Regla of Silver Screen and Roll, with the Lakers giving up Malik Beasley, Shaq Harrison and the No. 17 overall pick for his services.

“With good size at his position, the combo guard/wing has shown he can be feisty on the defense when engaged. On offense, his off-ball scoring ability would be a nice complement to whomever he shares the floor or backcourt with this season,” Regla wrote. “The team has also already been linked to Trent multiple times in the past, and it’s always worth noting that he is represented by Klutch.”

Gary Trent Jr. Has Key Contract Decision to Make

It was also noted that a potential move comes with some hurdles. The optimal route for the Lakers would be Trent opting into his player option, which would allow the trade to go down. A sign-and-trade could work too but it would hard cap the Lakers. Trent has until June 20 to decide whether to opt-in or not.

For what it’s worth, Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report reported that the Raptors are not expected to retain Trent and working on a trade could be best for all sides involved.

“Competing executives around the league don’t expect the Raptors to retain Gary Trent Jr., who may opt out of his $18.8 million contract,” Pincus wrote. “But he’ll need to do his homework to ensure that money is available in free agency (which may not be a lock in this market). Instead, he may opt in and eventually be traded by the Raptors.”

Other potential options pitched included Pacers guard Buddy Hield and Royce O’Neale.

Lakers Eyeing Chris Paul, Discussing Blockbuster Deals

Another player the Lakers have some interest in landing is veteran point guard Chris Paul, who is sorting out his situation with the Phoenix Suns.

“Signing Paul to a veteran’s minimum contract would allow the Lakers to use one of their exceptions on another player to bolster their depth,” Jovan Buha of The Athletic reported on June 16. “Another option the Lakers have discussed is signing Paul and retaining D’Angelo Russell to truly solidify their point guard position, according to those sources.”

The Lakers have also had some discussions about the possibility of trading for Portland Trail Blazers superstar Damian Lillard or Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young. It still appears highly unlikely that it could turn into anything serious.

“Young and Lillard have been discussed internally but appear nothing more than a pipe dream given the current asking prices for stars on the trade market,” Buha said.

With the new CBA in place, the Lakers would likely prefer to add a key rotation player — like Trent — and retain the majority of their role players that helped them make it to the Western Conference Finals last season.

LeBron James didn’t take too kindly to a dig from Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone after winning the NBA Championship and responded on social media.

Malone shared previously that he was salty about the media coverage of his Nuggets’ sweep of the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference Finals. Much of the talk was about the Lakers and rumors of James’ retirement following the sweep grabbed the headlines after the Nuggets punched their ticket to the NBA Finals.

Denver went on to win the title but Malone is still clearly carrying some hard feelings about how the situation went with the Lakers, taking a shot at James during an appearance on the Pat McAfee Show.

“Speaking of the Lakers, I just want you guys to know this is breaking news: I’m thinking about retiring. Only kidding, only kidding,” Malone said, a clear jab at James.

James took to Instagram to share a message for the Nuggets.

“In Europe for the last past few weeks minding my business and I hear I’m on your mind that much huh??? I mean I guess I see why,” James wrote. “But Wave the flag on these lames!! Please make being player cool again cause the lame machine is at an all-time high. Enjoy your light but just know I’m the SUN. I stay on forever!”

LeBron James Has Fired Off Some Cryptic Social Media Messages This Offseason

James has been sending some cryptic messages via social media lately. He utilized some Jay-Z lyrics to call out the Grizzlies and also channeled the rapper for a message on retirement.

“I’m suppose to be No. 1 on everybody list,” James wrote. “We’ll see what happens when I no longer exists.”

James has been recharging on a European vacation since being bounced from the postseason. There’s been no firm news on his retirement decision, although the general consensus is that he’ll be back next year with the Lakers.

“I haven’t spoken to anyone who thinks [James] is retiring,” Dan Woike of The Los Angeles Times reported on June 1. “The biggest reasons given to me for his comments after Game 4: fatigue from the season, frustration with getting swept and a reminder to the front office that the Lakers’ title window is closing, keeping a sense of urgency in the foreground.”

LeBron James Recovering From Foot Injury

James played the entirety of the postseason with a torn ligament in his foot, which he will likely need surgery on this offseason. James gutted through the injury and still averaged 24.5 points, 9.9 rebounds and 6.5 assists in the playoffs.

“I knew I could get to the finish line,” James said in an interview with ESPN. “Obviously, I knew I had to deal with it and deal with the pain or deal with not being able to be myself before the injury, but there was nothing that made me feel like I couldn’t get to the finish line.”

James has publicly been non-commital about having offseason surgery on the foot but it is likely he’ll have it if he intends to return for a 21st season in the NBA.

The Los Angeles Lakers are exploring how they can add Chris Paul, who is sorting out his future with the Phoenix Suns.

Jovan Buha reported that the Lakers have a “strong interest” in adding Paul, who is a close friend of LeBron James and could give LA an established veteran at the point guard position. Buha cited multiple Lakers sources linking Paul to the team. The interest is dependent on the Suns either being waived or stretched by the Suns.

“Signing Paul to a veteran’s minimum contract would allow the Lakers to use one of their exceptions on another player to bolster their depth,” Buha said. “Another option the Lakers have discussed is signing Paul and retaining D’Angelo Russell to truly solidify their point guard position, according to those sources.”

Paul is 38 years old but is still a solid contributor and distributor, averaging 13.9 points, 4.3 rebounds, 8.9 assists and 1.5 steals per game last season with the Suns. He has 12 All-Star selections, nine All-Defensive Team selections and five assists titles on his resume. However, Paul has never won a title and has had limited success in the postseason.

If the Lakers are able to sign him to the veteran’s minimum, it would be a low-risk move that would allow the team to maintain some flexibility financially. The Lakers could retain Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura, while also evaluating their options with the non-taxpayer midlevel exception and Dennis Schroder.

Chris Paul Has Dealt With Injuries Recently

Paul is a big name but the concern is if he can stay on the court. Most recently, he suffered a groin injury in the Western Conference semifinals.

Paul has come to terms with the fact that his physical abilities aren’t where they used to be. But he’s not contemplating retirement and feels like his basketball IQ is what makes him a valuable asset.

“I’ve been in this NBA a lot longer than some of the people who have been covering it,’’ Paul said during his exit interview. “I remember when the games ended in 85-80 scores. I don’t talk about it too much, but I know this game just about better than anybody. I put that up against anybody. That’s what’s not going to change, my knowledge of the game, and I’m going to keep putting in the work.”

Lakers Have Discussed Trades for Damian Lillard, Trae Young

The Lakers are doing all they can to improve their roster after a run to the Western Conference Finals. There’s been additional pressure put on by LeBron James flirting with retirement and names like Damian Lillard and Trae Young have been floated as potential — albeit unrealistic — targets.

“Young and Lillard have been discussed internally but appear nothing more than a pipe dream given the current asking prices for stars on the trade market,” Buha said.

There’s also the idea of the Lakers looking to free agency for a big name like Kyrie Irving or Fred VanVleet. However, those moves would likely have to be via sign and trade and would see the Lakers part ways with some key role players that came up big in the second half of the season.

In recent days, the notion that the Boston Celtics could potentially move on from Malcolm Brogdon has begun to gather steam.

The notion behind trading the reigning Sixth Man of the Year is that the Celtics could ease the logjam at the guard position while also reducing their salary. According to Masslive’s Brian Robb, one trae that would make sense for Boston would be to send Brogdon to the Los Angeles Lakers in return for Malik Beasley and Max Christie. 

“Brogdon provides a more steady offensive presence and more size defensively,” Robb wrote. “The Lakers may have their sights set on bigger names (Chris Paul) at point guard, but Brogdon could be an appealing backup plan with the Celtics getting a talent downgrade but a 3-point gunner in Beasley.”

This past season, Beasley played in 26 regular-season games for the Lakers, following his move from the Utah Jazz as part of a multi-team deal at the February 9 trade deadline. In those games, the veteran scorer averaged 11.1 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.2 assists while shooting 48.1% from the field and 35.3% from deep.

Given how the Celtics like to pressure opposing teams from the three-point line, Beasley would be a logical addition to the team’s rotation. Furthermore, Beasley will become an unrestricted free agent in 2024, which would allow the Celtics to either shed some salary or negotiate a longer stay with the franchise.

GM Questions Duo of Jaylen Brown & Jayson Tatum

According to an Eastern Conference GM, who spoke with Heavy on Sports Steve Bulpett under the condition of anonymity, the duo of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown should be more comfortable playing off of each other than they currently are.

“Each of them attracts so much attention,” said a GM. “You’d think they’d be more comfortable by now with playing off each other and knowing how to get each other great shots. I can’t remember too many times when one created for the other — when one made a move, gave it up, and the other guy finished. It was always somebody else creating for one of them, and that makes them easier to guard.”

Throughout their tenure with the Celtics, there have been plenty of questions surrounding Tatum and Brown’s ability to coexist on the same team while bringing out the best in each other. Unfortunately, despite both wings being named to an All-NBA team this past season, those questions are still valid, as they rarely play a two-man game between themselves.

Indiana Pacers Hold Interest in Grant Williams

Another Celtics player who could be on the move this summer is Grant Williams. After failing to agree on a contract extension during the 2022 off-season, the Tennesse product will spend this summer as a restricted free agent.

According to a report by Yahoo Sports’ Jake Fischer, Williams is drawing interest from the Indiana Pacers. 

“The Pacers are expected to be one team in the mix for restricted free agent Grant Williams as well,” Fischer wrote.

Over the past two seasons, Williams has emerged as one of the better young three-and-d forwards in the NBA and will certainly command significant interest throughout the off-season. However, the Celtics are able to match any offer sheet Williams signs, so the likelihood is that he remains in Boston for the foreseeable future.

The Los Angeles Lakers have the potential to have cap space this summer, but the franchise is more likely to use this money to re-sign several of their own key free agents. With this in mind, CBS Sports’ Sam Quinn put together several trade proposals for the Lakers to consider.

One of the most intriguing ideas is a Lakers-Bulls deals that sends former LA fan favorite Alex Caruso back to Los Angeles. The proposal has the Lakers landing Caruso and two-time All-Star Andre Drummond in exchange for Malik Beasley, the No. 17 pick in the 2023 NBA draft and two future first-round selections. The Lakers have familiarity with Caruso and Drummond who both had previous stints in Los Angeles.

“People have asked me for my ideal Lakers offseason. Here’s an unlikely outline I like,” Quinn said in a series of June 11, 2023 tweets. “Chris Paul for the Non-Tax MLE. Malik Beasley, No. 17+two future 2nds for Alex Caruso and Andre Drummond. Mo Bamba+2029 first (top-8 protected/top-4 in 2030) for Royce O’Neale.

“Match any [Austin] Reaves offer (starting salary $11.4 million due to Arenas rule). Re-sign Rui Hachimura for a deal starting at $14 million, Lonnie Walker starting at his non-Bird max of $7.8 million. Four minimum slots: two dedicated shooters, a third big and a 2nd-round rookie.”

Lakers Rumors: Could LA Pursue a Potential Trade With the Bulls for Alex Caruso?

It was an ugly divorce for Caruso and the Lakers as the guard wanted to stay in LA but felt lowballed by general manager Rob Pelinka during the 2021 free agency. Caruso ultimately landed a four-year, $36.9 million deal with Chicago and still has two seasons remaining on his contract. The veteran guard is slated to have a $9.4 million salary for 2023-24 and his $9.8 million is only partially guaranteed for 2024-25, per Spotrac.

Caruso averaged 5.6 points, 2.9 assists, 2.9 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game while shooting 36.4% from long range during 67 games in 2022-23, including 36 starts. The guard gives the Lakers a solid rotational player who can shoot and defend, not to mention his connection with the LA fanbase.

Alex Caruso Still Stays in Contact With Some of His Former Lakers Teammates

During an exclusive interview with Heavy Sports in July 2022, Caruso opened up on his exit from the Lakers as the team missed the playoffs the season after the guard bolted for Chicago. Caruso still stays in contract with some of his former Lakers teammates, including LeBron James.

“Maybe not I told you so, but I don’t think I realized how much the Lakers are in the media until you leave,” Caruso told Heavy Sports at the time. “Being in the [Lakers] facility, it’s a little hard to see, but being in Chicago this year, I could definitely tell. It was easy to keep up with throughout the year.”

“…They had a lot of turnover, anytime in professional sports, you have a lot of turnover, you have to rebuild chemistry, you got to rebuild continuity. That’s stuff that can’t really be overlooked sometimes. I think with pro sports, you think you just put a bunch of really good players on the court it will take care of itself.

“Sometimes it takes a little bit of glue, a little bit of time to figure out how it’s going to work. So, I think that’s probably just what they went through this past year.”

New York Knicks guard Josh Hart, who began his NBA career with the Los Angeles Lakers, is projected to land a sizable raise in free agency. Former NBA executive John Hollinger offered his free agent projections for The Athletic and predicted Hart will land a potential deal in the $60 to $80 million range.

“… Even the most homerific Knicks fan would probably admit that $28.6 million feels like a lofty valuation for Hart,” Hollinger wrote on June 8, 2023. “His career shooting (35.0 percent from 3 on low volume), age (28) and size (6-foot-5 if you pull on his toes) all weigh against paying him as a top-dozen shooting guard like this valuation implies.

“That said, New York won big by bringing him in from Portland for the cost of a late first. Hart surely will opt out of his below-market contract, but one presumes he’ll be back in New York on a multi-year deal that pays him like a plus wing starter (in the $20 million range) for the next three or four years.”

Hart is Hollinger’s No. 6 ranked free agent with a projected value of $28.6 million per year, but the ex-NBA exec believes the guard will land a contract closer to a $20 million salary. For context, Hollinger has Hart ranked just above current Lakers point guard D’Angelo Russell in his free agency breakdown.

Josh Hart on Lakers Trade: ‘I Was Sick’

Hart spent his first two seasons with the Lakers before being part of the blockbuster deal with the Pelicans that sent Anthony Davis to Los Angeles in 2019. The wing averaged 7.9 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game while shooting 33.4% from long range during his two seasons in LA, a stint that included 45 starts.

The Knicks guard has a three-year, $37.9 million contract that runs through the 2023-24, but Hart possesses a player option that allows him to hit free agency this offseason. Hart will likely secure a more lucrative salary than the $12.9 million he would make with New York next season on his current deal.

During a June 5 interview with Bleacher Report’s Taylor Rooks, Hart opened up about his experience getting traded by the Lakers in 2019. At the time, Hart went viral after posting a selfie of himself smiling when news broke regarding the blockbuster trade. The veteran now admits he was “smiling through the pain because I was sick.”

“It was smiling through the pain, because I was sick,” Hart revealed. “I did not want to leave. I posted that as a false front of like, ‘Oh yeah, I’m excited to go to New Orleans.’

“Nah, I got to LA and my biggest thing is I always wanted to be in the league and be with at least one team for a long time. I wanted a place to have as home and that was a bummer for me to get traded.

“Obviously, you [got] traded for a guy like AD. I didn’t feel like I was disrespected or something. I didn’t get traded for a copy machine or some cash or something like that. I got traded for a top-five player in the league at that point.”

Could the Lakers Explore Signing Knicks Guard Josh Hart in NBA Free Agency?

Hart’s comments could prompt speculation that the guard would consider a potential Lakers reunion. The challenge is Los Angeles is likely to prioritize re-signing their own free agents like Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura. For the Lakers to make a run at Hart, the only realistic scenario (assuming Reaves and Hachimura are re-signed) is to work out a sign-and-trade with the Knicks for D’Angelo Russell.

This would require mutual interest by Russell and the Knicks. Hart averaged 10.2 points, 7 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.4 steals per game in 25 appearances last season with the Knicks after being traded by the Blazers. A $20 million annual salary is a hefty potential price tag for a role player, but the early buzz is that teams see upside in Hart’s potential impact.

The NBA offseason is officially here and rumors are starting to heat up. The Los Angeles Lakers are a team that is frequently involved in rumors and that hasn’t been any different this offseason. One name that hasn’t been mentioned much as a possible target for the team is Philadelphia 76ers guard James Harden.

The 10-time All-Star has a player option on his contract, but according to a May 17 report from Bleacher Report’s Chris Haynes, Harden intends to decline the option and hit free agency. If that report comes to fruition, he’ll be free to sign with whatever team he wants. Former NBA big man and LeBron James teammate on the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2015 Kendrick Perkins is predicting Harden to sign with the Lakers this offseason.

“Harden to the Lakers makes all the sense in the world,” Perkins said on the June 14 episode of ESPN’s “NBA Today.” “He has shown that he’s able to transition to the PG position, we saw how well him and Embiid worked in the pick-and-roll. Imagine him and Anthony Davis in the pick-and-roll. Imagine him taking pressure off of LeBron James as far as being the ball handler. I think it would be a match made in heaven.”

James Harden is a Los Angeles Native

Harden coming to the Lakers hasn’t been talked about as much throughout his career despite the fact that he is from Bellflower, California, which is a city located in southeast Los Angeles. The 2018 MVP coming to the Lakers would be a homecoming.

Unlike fellow Los Angeles natives in the NBA like Russell Westbrook and Demar DeRozan, Harden has never expressed interest in returning home to play for the Lakers in the media. In fact, he has shown more interest in returning to Houston. Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer reported on May 19 that the Rockets and Harden have a “mutual” interest in reuniting. The 33-year-old guard spent nine seasons in Houston from 2012 to 2020 and it’s where he won his MVP. He also won three NBA scoring titles while he was with the Rockets. Returning to the team where he became a superstar could be more appealing to him than returning him.

Los Angeles Lakers Were Named ‘Surprise’ Landing Spot for James Harden

While Harden to the Lakers hasn’t been talked about much, Perkins isn’t the first to bring it up as an idea. Back in a May 24 column for Bleacher Report, Greg Swartz listed the Lakers as a “surprise” landing spot for the veteran guard.

“What about a team that just reached the conference finals, has an opening at point guard and the possibility to carve out roughly $30 million in cap space?” Swartz wrote.

“The Lakers actually make a lot of sense for Harden, especially if Kyrie Irving re-signs with the Dallas Mavericks and L.A. has already seen enough out of D’Angelo Russell.”

In order to afford Harden, the Lakers would likely need to move on from Rui Hachimura, Jarred Vanderbilt, Malik Beasley and Mo Bamba. The team would have a difficult time finding depth on the roster but a trio of Harden, LeBron James and Anthony Davis would be one of the most exciting in the NBA.

On an uncharacteristically gloomy day in sunny Los Angeles, California, some of the biggest heavy hitters in the entertainment and sports worlds gather on a small film set. However, they aren’t filming the latest blockbuster movie. They are here to simply talk.

“The Shop,” which premiered in 2018, has provided a platform for celebrities, athletes, activists and many more to discuss whatever topics they’d like without the weight of a script or talking points. For the season six finale of the show, there was no shortage of star power. Los Angeles Clippers head coach Ty Lue, 12-time NBA All-Star guard Chris Paul, Academy Award-nominated actor Lakieth Stanfield and Grammy-winning rapper and activist Killer Mike would likely not all find themselves in a room together under normal circumstances but “The Shop” allows some of the planet’s most famous faces the opportunity to have conversations together.

A conversation isn’t always the easiest thing to start, but hosts Paul Rivera, who co-created “The Shop,” and Maverick Carter, CEO of The SpringHill Company, get things going before letting their guests run with whatever topics interest them. It didn’t take long for the conversation to take an unexpected political turn.

Memphis Grizzlies star guard Ja Morant has been in the news lately after a second incident where he flashed what appeared to be a firearm on Instagram Live on May 14. This was following a March 4 incident where he was seen holding a firearm at a Denver area nightclub that led to him missing eight games due to suspension. The NBA is currently weighing a punishment for him and that has driven much of the conversation.

“I’m a gun guy, I’m very pro [second amendment],” Killer Mike said.

Addressing one of the country’s most controversial issues, the rapper got into the importance of boys understanding and respecting guns when they’re young, so the weapon doesn’t seem so exciting once they get older.

It is not uncommon for modern political debate shows to break out in a discourse over gun control in America. That’s not what happens on “The Shop.” Instead of a fiery debate breaking out among the guests, Stanfield digs deeper into what Killer Mike is saying.

“I think we should be instilling within our youth what education is … yielding these tools that can be so devastating or could save your family,” he said.

This is just one of the many examples of how “The Shop” has evolved into much more than public expectations when it first premiered.

More Than a Sports Show

“That’s not an idea. That’s just a fact,” producer and director of photography Brandon Riley told Heavy when asked about the idea that “The Shop” is more than just a sports show.

UNINTERRUPTED, the brand associated with “The Shop,” has had a slogan for years that states, “I am more than an athlete.” Over the years, “The Shop” has been widely considered among other sports shows due to its close ties to Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James, who is an executive producer and frequent guest. However, the show has had many guests that don’t exist in the sports world and the conversations aren’t always about sports.

Co-creator of “The Shop” Paul Rivera has never looked at it as simply sports. The goal was to create a space for people to share their beliefs without risk of judgment.

“The Holy Grail is those conversations,” Rivera said of the gun conversation with Killer Mike. “Having a safe space, a space where everyone’s respected. A space where someone can give an opinion that’s not a popular one, and be given the room to be able to contextualize why they feel like that and what their experiences are. Hopefully, we all learn from that. I don’t have to agree with every thought every guest has, but my hope is that I can learn and take something away from them, or at least have perspective on why they see the world the way they do.”

One of the big factors that helps drive the conversation is the setting. The set gets cleared out during filming and there are only a few camera operators left to watch the action in person.

“It gives you the feeling like you had a barbershop,” Paul told Heavy. “You know what I mean? And I think you get an opportunity to marry people from different worlds.”

Not only does “The Shop” differentiate itself from sports shows, but it’s also a unique spin on the format. Paul has done countless interviews and talk shows over his career, including some of the most popular. This was the first time he was able to do an episode of “The Shop,” and he quickly noticed the vibe.

“It’s a lot different,” Paul said. “When you go to Jimmy Kimmel or one of those top talk shows, it’s somewhat scripted. And here, what makes it great and interesting is it’s just a conversation. A lot of times when you go on talk shows they’re just asking you questions. Here, you find out information, you’re learning things, you’re asking questions to other people, which gives you the opportunity to get to know people in a different way.”

Behind the Scenes of ‘The Shop’ Filming

Very few people are allowed on the set of “The Shop” once filming begins. This is a product of how they shoot the show. Cameras capture the action from every angle so they can’t have anybody in the background. Everybody who isn’t necessary to the actual filming gathers in a tent outside to watch from monitors.

The streets of Los Angeles sing a unique song. Helicopters and sirens flood the air almost drowning out the sounds from the monitors. It’s so loud that the people inside the set can even hear it. One person watching the monitors notes that there’s a police chase going on near the studio. That’s not a surprise occurrence in the City of Angels and it’s certainly not enough to stop filming.

There are many ways in which “The Shop” stands out among a robust media and podcast market. Perhaps the biggest reason is the look of the show. Many aren’t expecting striking cinematography or dynamic camera angles, but it was important for the team at UNINTERRUPTED to create a cinematic experience.

Director Robert Alexander and Riley, who has been with the show from the beginning, were instrumental in developing the distinct look of the show, which features hard lighting and consistent camera movement.

“[Rob] and I’ve been working together for over a decade, and we just have similar tastes,” Riley told Heavy. “We like to make things as cinematic and interesting to look at as possible. And that means lighting, set design, camera angles and things like that, instead of just kind of a straightforward coverage thing. We wanted to do everything we could to make anything that we were a part of stand out.”

Alexander wasn’t around to direct episodes for Season 6 so the team enlisted Condra Magee, who is better known by her director name “conDRAMAgee.”

“If you put my first and last name together Condra Magee, there’s DRAMA in the center, and I just thought that that was just so fitting for me,” Magee explained.

Magee was the first woman to direct an episode of “The Shop” and she had no problem thriving in the role long held by Alexander.

“She’s incredible to work with,” Rivera said. “Super intelligent, super curious, shows up overly prepared every day, but at the same time brings everything to the table in the form of a question. She’s very collaborative. We had Rob Alexander from day one until this season, who was incredible, and we would not have a show literally, without him. A lot of things you see are Rob’s vision. She’s taken it to another level with her eye and vision and style.”

Directing a talk show may seem like a pretty straightforward operation to the untrained eye but the way “The Shop” goes about shooting is a bit different. One of the unique challenges Magee faces on set is that she can’t call “cut” once the cameras start rolling. It’s paramount to have free-flowing conversations and having to stop in the middle of the action could derail what makes the show stand out. Even if there is a serious technical issue, the team has procedures in place to ensure the conversation doesn’t stop.

“We would not call no matter what,” Magee told Heavy. “We would not call cut and we just gotta go with it.”

However, just because stopping the action isn’t an option, doesn’t mean the team doesn’t get creative with how they fix issues that arise.

“In the worst-case scenario where, let’s just say, a mic isn’t working, then we’ll just send one of our sound guys out there,” Magee says. “Everybody’s still having a conversation, the conversation doesn’t stop. We send one of our sound guys out there. We might make a camera adjustment to do as much as we can to hide the fact that that person is now on set making the adjustment. But then otherwise, we’ll just stay rolling.”

One thing Magee really can’t control is continuity. Viewers only get to see a small chunk of the full conversation. A two-hour chat between the guests will get edited to well under an hour. Throughout the filming of the episode, Paul was wearing a hat until he decided to take it off for a while. It’s not the end of the world but it does present challenges.

“When that happened, I looked back at my producer and I said, ‘Chris Paul just took off his hat’ just so that she can make it not that okay, we won’t have continuity,” Magee said. “That’s gonna kind of pigeonhole us in a way, and so that just makes our tasks a little bit harder, but that’s where the creativity comes.”

The editing process is a brutal one. Not every nugget of information that a guest drops will be used in the final episode. That means Magee has a tough balance act, especially when the guests are discussing complex topics.

“It’s a little bit of a task to respect the creativity of our overall show, and the storytelling that we’re trying to do, as well as then respect the talent and the message that they were trying to convey. … I’m sensitive to it, and just want to make sure that whatever it is I’m doing, I’m presenting the person’s words and the way that they were expressed and the meaning and intent that they had originally not to create something that then is kind of contrived,” she explained.

What’s Next for ‘The Shop’?

“The Shop” has wrapped up Season 6, but how long will the show carry on? SpringHill Company is becoming a major player in Hollywood and just had the new film “Shooting Stars” drop on Peacock. Despite the rising popularity of the studio, Rivera doesn’t believe “The Shop” is growing stale for him yet.

“I still get excited to do the show after all these years, because I still truly am a fan of the guests we have on and I’m still learning,” he said. “I learn something every single episode. I believe UNINTERRUPTED and SpringHill as a platform have the responsibility of making sure we’re giving access to information, opportunities and inspiration to the 17-year-old versions of ourselves. I feel like every episode, we’re able to accomplish that. And it’s still exciting to me to this day as it was Episode 1 (of) Season 1.”

As long as there are interesting and fresh conversations to be had, there will be a place for “The Shop” in the pop culture zeitgeist.

Tune in: The Season 6 finale episode of “The Shop UNINTERRUPTED presented by GREY GOOSE Vodka” is now on UNINTERRUPTED’s YouTube Channel.

The Los Angeles Lakers could go superstar-hunting this offseason but that likely isn’t the best strategy. With the Denver Nuggets winning the championship, more teams need to realize that it’s better to build depth around two star players than it is to use the entire payroll on three players. LeBron James may get excited about reuniting with Kyrie Irving or finally getting a chance to play with Chris Paul but there are smaller moves the Lakers can make to remain a contender.

This could lead the team to reach back out to the Indiana Pacers. A trade package surrounding center Myles Turner was frequently talked about last season but it never came to fruition. Center is one of the Lakers’ biggest needs this offseason and Turner would be a big upgrade. Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report pitched a “no-brainer” trade that sends Malik Beasley, Mo Bamba, Max Christie and No. 19 pick to Indiana for Turner and guard T.J. McConnell:

The Turner-to-L.A. talks have had such a long shelf life, because that fit looks so intriguing on paper. He could keep the floor spaced for LeBron James and Anthony Davis to attack. On defense, Turner would make the Lakers massive without greatly sacrificing their mobility. Assemble the right supporting cast around them, and you could be looking a top-five defense and top-10 offense.

That’s championship-level basketball, which should be L.A.’s lone concern with James nearing the end of his legendary career. The Lakers would lose a few long-term assets here, but if anyone should prioritize the present over the future, it’s the Purple and Gold.

This Would Be Great Trade for Lakers

By the time the Lakers got to the Western Conference Finals, Beasley, Bamba and Christie were not in the rotation. With the trade that Buckley is pitching, Los Angeles would be moving on from three players who didn’t have a role to add two potential impact players. Christie could end up being a good player, which is why the Pacers should be interested in this deal.

The Lakers won a championship in 2020 when they had a competent center they could play with Anthony Davis. The team didn’t have a proper back up so Davis ended up playing center for much of the year. While he’s great at the position in spurts, it’s clear the best strategy is to have him spend some time at power forward. Turner is a very good center and one of the best shot blockers in the NBA. He would form a devastating defensive pairing with Davis.

Is This Trade Enough to Get Lakers Over the Hump?

After getting swept, it’s easy to hit the panic button. However, the Lakers might be closer than many realize. They made it to the Conference Finals despite remaking the roster at the trade deadline. Giving the team a whole year to gel together could be what they need to get over the hump.

The team does need a couple of pieces but Turner and McConnell are good ones to add. The Nuggets aren’t going anywhere and Nikola Jokic is one of the hardest players to guard in the NBA. Throwing Turner and Davis at him is one way to try and slow him down. If the Lakers add Turner and McConnell while retaining Austin Reaves, D’Angelo Russell and Rui Hachimura, they are a championship contender as long as they stay healthy.

The Los Angeles Lakers have a chance to add a potential impact player with the No. 17 pick in the 2023 NBA draft. ESPN’s Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo have the Lakers landing former Arkansas guard Nick Smith Jr. who was once projected to be a top-five pick.

“Smith is another guard with a wide range on draft night, starting with Washington (No. 8) and drawing serious interest from Orlando (No. 11), Toronto (No. 13) and New Orleans’ (No. 14),” the ESPN mock draft detailed on June 13, 2023. “With a huge glut of guards and wings expected to be picked in this range, there are scenarios that could see Smith fall out of the lottery, giving the Lakers an opportunity to add a significant talent who started last season as a projected top-five pick prior to injuries.

“The Lakers could certainly use a combo guard who can shoot off the bounce, create off a live dribble, finish with creativity inside the arc and bring strong competitiveness on both ends of the floor.”

Smith averaged 12.5 points, 1.7 assists and 1.6 rebounds per game while shooting 33.8% from long range during his 17 appearances last season at Arkansas. The guard is a former five-star recruit and was the No. 1 ranked player in the 2022 class, per 247Sports.

Lakers Rumors: LA ‘Exploring Trade Scenarios’ Ahead of NBA Draft

The Lakers could also explore adding additional draft picks. Woo and Givony reported that the “Lakers are also exploring trade scenarios” ahead of the NBA draft citing franchises with multiple selections as possible partners.

“The Lakers are also exploring trade scenarios as well, especially with teams that have multiple picks,” Woo and Givony added.

Los Angeles holds the No. 47 pick in the second round as well. The latest ESPN mock projects the Lakers to land former Gonzaga standout forward Julian Strawther with this second-round selection.

NBA Draft 2023: Nick Smith Jr. Is Drawing Comparisons to Jamal Murray & Tyler Hero

Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka could also opt to do the reverse by taking advantage of LeBron James’ closing championship window and moving the No. 17 pick for a veteran who can contribute now. The challenge is the majority of the Lakers’ upcoming first rounders are headed to other teams as part of prior deals.

With the changes to the new NBA CBA rules, contenders may need to utilize rookie contracts more often to fill out their roster around current stars. The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor also has the Lakers selecting Smith at No. 17 in his latest mock draft.

O’Connor views Smith as someone who can potentially contribute right away thanks to possessing “scoring upside, though he could carve out an early opportunity with his defense.” The NBA draft analyst sees shades of Jamal Murray and Tyler Hero in Smith’s game.

“Though he’s primarily an on-ball scorer, he thrives off-ball as a cutter, much like Jamal Murray or Tyler Herro,” O’Connor detailed. “It’s easy to imagine him plugging into a team that uses a big to run dribble handoffs, or on a team that allows him to spot up and look for cuts or relocations.

“High motor on defense. He brings the same activity and springiness he has on offense to the defensive end.”

The Los Angeles Lakers were a sinking ship before a couple of trades saved their season. One player who contributed to the turnaround was fourth-year power forward Rui Hachimura.

After his impressive playoff run, he could be sought after in free agency. Though he hasn’t committed to the Lakers, he dropped hints about where he’d play to play next season.

“The reason why I requested the trade [from the Washington Wizards] is that I wanted to be somewhere I could be happy and play basketball, that liked me as a basketball player, that believed in me, and the Lakers were one of the teams that was really interested in me,” Hachimura said on the June 9 episode of ESPN’s “Hoop Streams.” “My agent and the team did a good job, and I went to the Lakers and it was a crazy season for me.”

The Lakers were 22-25 and out of the Western Conference’s playoff picture when they acquired Hachimura from the Wizards for Kendrick Nunn and three second-round picks. After the trade, the team went 21-14. In 33 regular-season appearances with L.A., Hachimura averaged 9.6 points and 4.7 rebounds a game in 22.6 minutes. But in the playoffs, he was the team’s fifth-leading scorer (12.2 points per game) as the Lakers advanced to the conference finals, where they lost to eventual NBA champs the Denver Nuggets.

“Back at that time, we didn’t even know we were going to make the playoffs,” said Hachimura, who was the ninth overall pick in the 2019 draft. “So we made the playoffs and the playoff run was pretty good, we lost to Denver but it was pretty good for us. I don’t know my future but I just want to be somewhere I can be happy. The Lakers have been good and we’re going to see.”

Should the Los Angeles Lakers Re-Sign Rui Hachimura?

ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said “all indications” point to the Lakers signing Hachimura, 25, in an effort to put much of the same conference finalist roster back on the floor together in 2023-24.

“[Lakers general manager Rob] Pelinka has gone on the record saying [they would do] and keep this team together,” Windhorst said on the June 5 episode of “Get Up.” “That would mean re-signing Rui Hachimura, re-signing Austin Reaves and potentially re-signing Lonnie Walker.”

As a restricted free agent, the Lakers have some leverage. Sporting News’ Steven Noh predicted Hachimura will get a contract worth $10 million to $20 million a year, far below the max contract of $33 million that he’s eligible for.

“Hachimura won’t earn that kind of money, but his earning potential is high enough that the Lakers could be put in a tough bind in deciding whether to match an offer from another team,” Noh wrote in a story published May 22. “The most likely outcome is that he returns to the Lakers.”

And Alex Kirschenbaum of Sports Illustrated’s All Lakers wrote on May 4 that the Lakers can “ill afford to let him walk for nothing this summer.”

Bleacher Report’s Eric Pinchus also pointed to a potential return to the Lakers for Hachimura, writing the restricted free agent market was “tight” and that Hachimura would likely sign in the $13 million to $16 million range.

The Los Angeles Lakers Need to Stay Young

In 2021-22, the Lakers went old when it came to roster construction and it was a disaster, missing the playoffs altogether. They got younger this year and it led to a much better season.

Pelinka said he wanted to keep the “young core” together.

“We have a lot of great young players. We want to do our best to fit the puzzle together,” Pelinka said, according to a May 23 story in The Los Angeles Times. “We want to fit the puzzle together in a way that’ll help us compete for championships.”

The Los Angeles Lakers are tasked with adding a few more pieces this offseason in order to potentially return to the NBA finals. During exclusive conversations with Heavy Sports NBA insider Sean Deveney, one Western Conference general manager labeled Warriors guard Donte DiVincenzo as a potential free agent target for the Lakers.

“A lot depends on what happens with the guys they’ve got, (Malik) Beasley, Lonnie Walker and the bigger guys like Rui (Hachimura) and D’Angelo Russell,” the NBA exec noted. “Austin Reaves, you kind of know where he is going to be in the first two years of his deal (because of CBA restrictions).

“They’re going to be looking at the tax, for sure. They want to give their young guy, (Max) Christie, a good look, he could be in the rotation next year. I think they also like Cole Swider, who is on a two-way. It’s possible they won’t have a ton of roster overhaul, but they would like another shooter.

“They could make a push for Donte DiVincenzo from the Warriors, depending on what they do with him. He might command more than the tax MLE on the market, but he would be the right kind of guy, a shooter and ballhandler off the bench.”

NBA Rumors: Donte DiVincenzo Is Likely Headed for a Raise From His $9.2 Million Contract

DiVincenzo has a player option that allows him to potentially opt out to become a free agent this offseason. The guard is slated to have a $4.7 million salary as part of a two-year, $9.2 million contract if DiVincenzo does not opt out of his deal.

DiVincenzo averaged 9.4 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.3 steals per game while completing 39.7% from long range during his 77 appearances in 2022-23, including 36 starts. The guard would give the Lakers a bit more shooting, but it remains to be seen if Los Angeles is willing to meet his market value. The Athletic’s John Hollinger ranked DiVincenzo as his No. 23 rated free agent.

“The question is whether anybody values him enough to pay him as a starter with cap space, or whether he tops as a midlevel exception signing for about $52 million over four years,” Hollinger wrote on June 8. “With a paucity of teams with cap space and a crowded shooting guard market, it’s possible he gets squeezed.

“Either way, however, he will do far better than the $4.5 million taxpayer MLE he had to settle for last summer. DiVincenzo has a player option for $4.7 million to return to the Warriors, I should note, but there is zero chance he exercises it.”

Lakers Rumors: Heat PG Gabe Vincent Is a Potential Lakers Target, Says NBA GM

Another name for Lakers fans to watch is Heat starting point guard Gabe Vincent. The undrafted guard is on the rise playing a significant role during the Heat’s run the NBA finals.

Vincent is averaging 13 points, 3.6 assists and 1.5 rebounds per game while shooting 38.9% from long range during the postseason. The Western Conference GM also labeled Vincent as a fit for the Lakers.

“Gabe Vincent from Miami, he is a free agent and could be had at a decent number,” the NBA exec added. “It is hard to figure where he ranks as a shooter, and the Heat might go out of their way to keep him, but he’s the kind of fit they need there in LA.”

The Los Angeles Lakers are a franchise that consistently makes big splashes. The last big splash they made blew up in the team’s face as the Russell Westbrook trade set them back for two years. After a surprise Western Conference Finals berth this season, it might be best for the team to run it back with most of the pieces they acquired at the trade deadline last season.

Since the Lakers’ season ended, they have been linked to many star players. One of the most interesting is Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young. The Athletic’s Jovan Buha floated him as a possible target for the team if he is traded. He’s only 24 years old so he’d be a good piece to have once LeBron James retires. He’s also a Klutch Sports client, which is the same agency that represents LeBron and Anthony Davis. He’d make a lot of sense in Los Angeles.

Apparently, oddsmakers believe there’s a good chance it will happen. According to SportsBetting.ag, the Lakers are +125 favorites to land Young if he leaves the Hawks. The next highest is the Chicago Bulls at +500. It appears that oddsmakers believe that the most likely outcome is Young going to Los Angeles or staying in Atlanta.

Landing Young Won’t Be Easy for Lakers

Young getting traded to the Lakers is easier said than done. He’s Atlanta’s best player and the face of the franchise. They won’t give him up for scraps. A sign and trade with D’Angelo Russell might help but they’d need the guard to be willing to help. The Lakers would also have to give up whatever first-round picks that are eligible to be traded. Perhaps throwing in Austin Reaves would make it appealing to Atlanta.

The Hawks may still be able to get a better package from another team for Young. He’s under contract until 2027 so if the Lakers covet him, they’re going to have to trade for him. There could be a deal to be had but it would deplete the team’s depth. A trio of Young, Davis and LeBron would arguably be the best in the NBA but the two older veterans have a hard time staying healthy. Young is more durable but the lack of depth with a team that has two injury-prone stars would be cause for concern.

Superteams Haven’t Been Working

The Lakers should be averse to the idea of trying to build a superteam after the failed Westbrook experience. The Miami Heat and Denver Nuggets being in the NBA Finals is further proof that it’s more important to build a team with great depth than it is just to have a bunch of superstars.

Young would be a solid player to replace LeBron once he retires but it’s too difficult to pay for all three of them. The Lakers should be focusing on moves to improve the overall roster. LeBron may get tempted into pushing the team to add another superstar due to his age but he accepted a max contract from the team and should be expected to have a max player role. If he wants another star to take the pressure off of him, he should consider taking less money on his next contract.

The NBA season isn’t even over yet and the Los Angeles Lakers roster rumors are heating up. The team was able to turn the season around after a horrific start. Much of that was thanks to the efforts of trade deadline additions D’Angelo Russell, Jarred Vanderbilt and Rui Hachimura.

Despite the late-season success, there have been many suggestions that the team needs another roster overhaul this offseason. The Lakers have been linked to big names like Kyrie Irving, Trae Young and Chris Paul. However, the team might still be leaning toward running it back. One of the biggest decisions they have to make involves Russell.

The veteran guard is a free agent and will likely be looking for a big chunk of money. He played well for the Lakers at times but was nonexistent in the Western Conference Finals against the Denver Nuggets. The Athletic’s Jovan Buha is still predicting that Los Angeles will end up signing Russell this offseason.

“If he wants a certain number, whether it’s closer to $25 million, maybe you go shorter term and give two years, $50 million, and you’re on the same timeline as LeBron and Anthony Davis. … I suspect a two or three-year deal,” Buha said on the “Hoopshype” podcast. “I think re-signing him is the most likely outcome.”

Is Keeping Russell the Right Call?

It’s difficult to argue against the fact that Russell struggles in the playoffs. He scored a combined 25 points in four games against the Nuggets in the Western Conference Finals. Considering he doesn’t make much of an impact on defense, he needs to be much better on offense. Prior to this run with the Lakers, he played in just 11 playoff games combined in his career. Perhaps all he needed was more experience and he’ll be ready to improve his play next season.

Regardless, the Lakers might not be too concerned about his playoff performance. They already have two proven playoff stars Anthony Davis and LeBron James. The team may look at Russell as a player who can play a lot of games in the regular season and keep the offense moving. He’d be a solid third-scoring option for the team. Plus, signing Russell to a reasonable deal allows the Lakers to keep Rui Hachimura and Austin Reaves.

What About Chris Paul?

The Lakers need to solidify their point guard position this offseason whether that’s signing Russell or somebody else. Chris Paul is expected to get waived by the Phoenix Suns soon and odds are that he’ll end up a free agent. According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Lakers will be one of the teams that shows interest in the 12-time All-Star.

“I’m told Chris Paul and his reps, they want an answer on his future sooner than that June 28 deadline,” Wojnarowski said. “They want to know if they’re headed into free agency where he would be certainly very coveted, especially with the two teams in L.A.: the Clippers, the Lakers, where he still keeps his offseason home.”

Paul is much older than Russell but he’s more of a true point guard. The Lakers could even explore the possibility of having both of them but that might lead to too many cooks in the kitchen.

If, upon learning that future Hall of Fame point guard Chris Paul will soon be set free by the Suns, your mind immediately drifted to the Lakers and his good friend LeBron James, you are not alone. Every NBA exec we spoke to about the situation on Wednesday agreed that the Lakers are the team to watch on Paul.

“Lakers first,” one Eastern Conference GM texted. “It’s not definite, a lot can happen. But you’d have to start there. He always had (the) dream of being a Laker (and) playing with LBJ (James).”

As the GM referenced, Paul’s situation could prove to be not-so-simple. The easy path would be for Paul to be bought out by the Suns for the remaining $15.8 million on his contract, leaving him a free agent. But the Suns could choose to trade Paul, and he could be later bought out by whatever new team takes him. Or he could be kept by the new team.

Or the Suns could wind up bringing him back, if they make an aggressive move to reconstruct the roster, as expected.

“There is a lot that can happen there,” an Eastern Conference executive said. “The Suns need depth all over that roster. They want to free up their payroll. They want to see if there is a way to bring in Dame (Lillard). They want to see what they can do with a DeAndre Ayton deal. There is a lot on the table. And the Lakers need to know where they are going with (D’Angelo) Russell. They’re not just letting him walk. They traded a pick for him. And who knows if they could get Chris to sign a vet minimum deal or what?

“But if it is a straight kind of thing, just giving (Paul) the $15 million and moving on, and everything else is equal, it is hard to imagine him not going to the Lakers.”

Can the Lakers Play Paul & D’Angelo Russell?

The complicating factors on both sides are many, as the exec pointed out. Russell was the main return asset in the midseason trade that sent out Russell Westbrook and the team’s 2027 first-rounder, and the Lakers clung so dearly to that pick that it’s difficult to see them simply walking away from Russell (who struggled badly in the Western Conference finals) when he hits free agency this summer.

The Lakers could work out a sign-and-trade option with Russell, though it could be difficult to find a taker—the Lakers were one of only a small handful of teams interested in trading for Russell at the February deadline. But trading Russell away for useful rotation depth would be ideal.

The Lakers could re-sign Russell and add Paul, though that would create a logjam at the point guard spot.

Another issue: The Lakers are likely to be a luxury-tax payer next season, so signing Paul for anything more than the veteran’s minimum ($3.1 million) could get expensive quickly. The Lakers are expected to have the full $12 million mid-level exception available this summer, and could give Paul a big chunk of that. But that would not only be costly because of the tax, it would use up one of the main options the Lakers have for filling in gaps in the roster.

There’s also potential competition from other teams—not only a potential return to the Suns, but also a spot with the Heat, which coveted Paul back when he was with the Thunder and tried to work out a deal to bring him to Miami in 2019. Even as they toil in the NBA Finals, it is obvious the Heat need more depth, and with point guard Gabe Vincent hitting free agency in three weeks, there could be a roster hole.

A 2011 Lakers Redo for Chris Paul

Still, if Paul does want to be a Laker badly enough, it will be easy to make it happen. Paul was nearly a Laker back in 2011, of course, when he was traded in a three-team deal among L.A., New Orleans and the Rockets. But commissioner David Stern, acting as the steward of the New Orleans franchise at the time as it was seeking a buyer, nixed the deal before Paul was eventually traded to the Clippers.

Paul was angry about the nixed deal 12 years ago. At long last–and at age 38–he could get a chance at a redo.

“If it is what Chris Paul wants, being with the Lakers, it is what he is gonna get,” one Western Conference executive said. “He has the house in L.A. He is getting near to retirement. He wants a chance to win. There’s the LeBron thing. That’s where all the signs point, to L.A.”

In one of the biggest surprises of the year, the Phoenix Suns are waiving star guard Chris Paul, according to Bleacher Report’s Chris Haynes.

This comes after an injury kept Paul out of the final four games of the Suns’ playoff matchup against the Denver Nuggets. The team ended up losing in six games and looked like the far inferior team. This led to Phoenix firing head coach Monty Williams and replacing him with Frank Vogel. It’s clear that new Suns owner Mat Ishbia is looking to make some sweeping changes to the organization. Paul has been with the Suns for three seasons and was a major part of their turnaround. However, he’s 38 now and injury prone. It’s clear that the team preferred to build around Devin Booker and Kevin Durant.

For what it’s worth, Haynes is also reporting that Paul has no intention to retire anytime soon and plans to play for “several more years.”

Lakers Speculation Swirls After Paul Release

Now that Paul is about to be a free agent, many are already linking him to the Lakers. The 12-time All-Star lives out in Los Angeles during the offseason and is close friends with LeBron James. Naturally, this led to much speculation that he was going to end up with the Lakers.

Paul was almost a Laker back in 2011 before former NBA commissioner David Stern voided the deal. He ended up with the Clippers and spent six years with them. Paul has been linked to the Lakers for years, especially after LeBron joined the team. The two remain very close but haven’t had a chance to join forces at the NBA level. Paul is now going to be free to go to a team of his choosing and the Lakers should be appealing if he’s hoping to compete for a championship.

Does Adding Paul Make Sense for Lakers?

If Paul is the big splash move the Lakers make this offseason, it’s hard to be too excited about their chances. They already have a star duo of LeBron and Anthony Davis who have been injury prone the last few years. Paul typically makes it through most of the regular season but has fallen apart come playoff time.

The Lakers aren’t in the business of failing in the playoffs so relying on a 38-year-old LeBron and a 38-year-old Paul would be very risky. Now, if they could stay healthy, adding Paul could make Los Angeles title favorites depending on how much money he’s looking for. A minimum contract is unlikely but Paul certainly isn’t getting a max deal. The Lakers do want to get younger but LeBron’s championship window is closing. Perhaps adding Paul and some other pieces next to LeBron and Davis is enough to get the team back over the hump. It all comes down to how much of a discount Paul is willing to take.

The Washington Wizards may have waited too long to trade star guard Bradley Beal. He had his best season in 2020-21 where he averaged 31.3 points a game. He has fallen off over the past two seasons and averaged 23.2 a game in each.

The Los Angeles Lakers are a team that has coveted Beal for years but the price to get him was either too steep or he simply wasn’t available in a trade. The Athletic’s Josh Robbins just dropped a report that “many rival executives” expect new Wizards team president Michael Winger to undergo a full rebuild in the near future. Beal turns 30 this month so he’s likely not part of the rebuilding plans.

The three-time All-Star’s trade value is likely the lowest it has been in a long time. He has dealt with serious injuries in each of the last three seasons and his productivity has declined. Considering he’s only entering the second year of a five-year, $251 million contract, the Wizards may be happy to unload him on the cheap. If the Lakers want to make this move, they will need to figure out how to make the money work. They’ll need to convince D’Angelo Russell to go to Washington in a sign-and-trade. The team would also likely need to attach Malik Beasley’s contract to the trade. A package of Russell, Beasley and this year’s first-round pick for Beal might be a deal that works out for both sides.

Is Adding a 3rd Star the Right Idea?

Beal on the Lakers a few years ago would’ve made a lot of sense. He’s an elite scorer and solid 3-point shooter who would help space the floor. It’s possible that he can still do that but his contract is massive, he’s getting older and has had trouble staying healthy. It’s going to be very difficult to add his contract to the salary cap and build out the roster.

If Anthony Davis, LeBron James and Beal were all good to play in 70 games in the regular season, then it’s a trio that could lead a team to a championship. However, all three played fewer than 60 regular season games last season. The Lakers need a player who can play most of their game if they’re going to go the route of adding another star. Beal isn’t the player at this stage in his career.

Run It Back?

It’s becoming clear that LeBron could put pressure on the team to add Kyrie Irving. That might end up being a worse deal than going after Beal. He’s injury prone, difficult off the court and unreliable. The Lakers tried to build a superstar trio when they added Russell Westbrook and that was an unmitigated disaster.

Irving and Westbrook are very different players but it’s possible to see similar issues arising. The Lakers were good enough to go to the Western Conference Finals with a team that was largely constructed at the trade deadline. Adding some depth to the group that went on a run this year isn’t the worst idea. If the Lakers can find a starting center and a wing who can hit some threes and play defense, they could be back in contention next season. Running it back isn’t always a bad idea.

The Los Angeles Lakers are already experiencing an interesting offseason with plenty of chatter about LeBron James’ future. The superstar’s $97 million deal puts James under contract with the Lakers for an additional two seasons.

Yet, free-agent guard Kyrie Irving is attempting to recruit James to join the Mavericks in order to form a new big three alongside Luka Doncic, per Bleacher Report’s Chris Haynes. The only circumstance where the Lakers explore trading James is if the NBA legend attempts to force his way out of Los Angeles.

This remains an unlikely scenario, but if James pulls a shocker and wants to join the Mavericks a plausible blockbuster deal would likely require a third team to get involved. Dallas has little appealing assets to offer Los Angeles outside of their two superstars. The Bulls make some sense as Chicago could potentially be open to moving off of LaVine’s five-year, $215 million contract.

One wild three-team trade idea would be the Lakers landing LaVine from the Bulls while sending James to the Mavericks. Los Angeles also gets the Mavericks’ prized young duo of Josh Green and Jaden Hardy. Dallas sends the No. 10 pick in the upcoming draft as well as Davis Bertans to LA.

The Lakers move James and Jarred Vanderbilt to the Mavericks as part of the three-team deal. Chicago rids themselves of LaVine’s four remaining years of his contract while landing Tim Hardaway Jr., Reggie Bullock, promising Lakers guard Max Christie and a future first-round selection from Dallas.

Lakers Rumors: The Mavericks Would Need LeBron James to Force a Trade to Dallas

With James’ oldest son Bronny James beginning his collegiate career at USC in the fall, chances are slim that James would push for a trade. Yet, if James opts to prioritize winning a fifth championship above everything else teaming up with Irving and Doncic would be hard to top.

The challenge is the Lakers are going to have little desire for anyone on the Mavs’ roster outside of Irving and Doncic as true compensation for James. The above three-team trade proposal is not exactly equal from the Lakers’ perspective and is only feasible if James demands a trade. NBA insider Marc Stein reported that James would be “actively forcing his way to Dallas” in order for a deal to happen but added that the Mavericks could have some appeal to the four-time champion.

“What can be bankably confirmed about any LeBron connection to the Mavericks: Dallas is certainly a team, league sources say, that would intrigue the 38-year-old as a potential landing spot if James ever reached the point of searching for a new place to play,” Stein wrote on June 5.

“If … James is a well-known admirer of Dončić — and vice versa — and maintains close relationships with Mavericks coach Jason Kidd and assistant coach Jared Dudley after their championship run together in the Walt Disney World bubble in Orlando to cap the 2019-20 season.”

What Is LeBron James’ Trade Value for the Lakers?

The challenge for the Lakers is there is no blueprint for trading a top-two player of all-time at the age of 38. The most recent blockbuster NBA trade allowed the Nets to land four future first-round draft picks and a package of promising young players for Kevin Durant.

This is not a fair comparison given Durant is nearly four years younger than James, and new Suns owner Mat Ishbia pressed the front office to give up a king’s ransom to bring KD to Phoenix. LaVine is nowhere near James’ level but gives the Lakers a legitimate star in return at 28 years old with plenty of runway remaining on his career.

The two-time All-Star averaged 24.8 points, 4.5 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game while shooting 37.5% from behind the arc during 77 starts in 2022-23. LaVine paired with Anthony Davis gives the Lakers two superstars to build around for years to come.

All signs point to the Lakers building around James and Davis this offseason as the franchise attempts to make the NBA finals next season. This is not going to stop Irving and Doncic from attempting to shock the sports world by prying James away from Hollywood.