Category: Los Angeles Lakers Blog

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The latest on the Lakers’ coaching search

The latest on the Los Angeles Lakers’ coaching search, via the L.A. Times:

After interviewing two assistant coaches for their head coaching position, the Lakers have spoken to a pair of former NBA head coaches, according to people with knowledge of the situation who were not authorized to speak publicly about the matter.

The Lakers interviewed former Portland Trail Blazers coach Terry Stotts and former Golden State Warriors coach Mark Jackson in their search to replace Frank Vogel as head coach.

Assistants Darvin Ham (Milwaukee) and Adrian Griffin (Toronto) have also spoken with the Lakers about the job.

And from ESPN.com:

Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka is the point man on the organization’s search, but there’s a committee in place to vet the candidates. Besides Pelinka and owner Jeanie Buss, advisor Kurt Rambis and former Lakers coach Phil Jackson are also a significant part of the conversations, sources said.

The Lakers have also reached out to Milwaukee Bucks assistant Darvin Ham and Toronto Raptors assistant Adrian Griffin to discuss the opening, sources said.

After missing the playoffs with a 33-49 record, the Lakers fired Frank Vogel in April.

Judy Seto reportedly no longer with Lakers training staff

Judy Seto, a veteran member of the Lakers’ training staff, is no longer with the team — this as her contract expired — according to individuals familiar with the situation.

Since 2019, Seto has served as the team’s director of sports performance. She formerly worked as the Lakers’ head physical therapist from 2011 to 2016. Before that, she worked closely with Kobe Bryant, who praised her job as “indispensable.”

Bryant commended Seto with helping him stay in the league for so long.

Via the Los Angeles Times

Andre Ingram wins 2021-22 G League Sportsmanship Award

The NBA G League announced today that South Bay Lakers guard Andre Ingram has been selected as the winner of the 2021-22 NBA G League Sportsmanship Award, which honors the player who best represents the ideals of character and conduct as a teammate on the court and in the locker room.

Ingram becomes the second two-time winner of the award in NBA G League history, having previously received the honor for the 2009-10 season. Each NBA G League team nominated one player for the 2021-22 award, and Ingram was ultimately selected as the winner by his fellow NBA G League players.

The Kia NBA G League Sportsmanship Award trophy is named after the late Jason Collier, who exemplified the qualities of a great teammate during his career in the NBA G League and the NBA. A 2003-04 All-NBA G League First Team selection, Collier was preparing to begin his sixth NBA season at the time of his death in 2005.

Ingram, who just completed his 13th NBA G League season, is a fixture atop the NBA G League record books, ranking first all-time in games played (474) and minutes (11,699), third in points (4,533) and fourth in field goals made (1,515). He also holds the all-time NBA G League record for most three-pointers made (845), while sitting in fifth place all-time in three-point percentage (44.9). The Richmond, Virginia native appeared in six career NBA games for the Los Angeles Lakers during the 2017-18 and 2018-19 seasons.

Ingram’s energy off the bench as a player and mentor helped South Bay achieve one of their most productive seasons in franchise history. The team started strong with a 10-4 record in the Showcase Cup followed by a 21-11 record in the regular season, earning a three-seed in the Western Conference and advancing to the Western Conference Semifinals. Ingram’s leadership was pivotal in the development of the team’s young players as South Bay finished the season with eleven NBA call-ups, the second most in the G League.

Lakers sign Mac McClung to two-way contract

The Los Angeles Lakers have signed Mac McClung to a two-way contract, it was announced today.

McClung appeared in 27 regular season NBA G League games (all starts) for the South Bay Lakers and Windy City Bulls during the 2021-22 season, averaging 21.6 points, 6.6 rebounds, 7.6 assists and 1.4 steals in 36.2 minutes. McClung shot 46.7 percent from the field and 37.4 percent from three-point range during his rookie campaign. He has appeared in one career NBA game for the Chicago Bulls, totaling two points in three minutes.

Lakers sign Wenyen Gabriel to standard NBA contract

The Los Angeles Lakers have signed Wenyen Gabriel to a standard NBA contract.

Gabriel originally signed a two-way contract with Los Angeles on March 1, 2022 and has appeared in 17 games (four starts) for the Lakers this season, averaging 5.7 points and 3.8 rebounds in 14.6 minutes. Gabriel has averaged 3.3 points and 2.5 rebounds in 75 career games (five starts) for the Lakers, Clippers, Nets, Pelicans, Trail Blazers and Kings.

Should the Lakers use Russell Westbrook as a reserve instead of as a starter?

As the NBA regular season starts to wrap up over the next month, the Lakers still face all sorts of challenges and questions to answer, including exactly how to make the most of Russell Westbrook’s talent. Here’s the OC Register:

There are only 19 games left in the season, and Westbrook is still disgruntled about his shifting role. After Thursday’s loss, Westbrook took a shot at the coaching staff again: “My role and what I’m doing has changed every single night, so I’m just trying to figure that out as I’m playing and to be able to benefit and help my team.”

Not long after, ESPN reported that Coach Frank Vogel was facing internal pressure to bring Westbrook off the bench, including a report of a tense Friday film session between Vogel and Westbrook. So far, according to ESPN, Vogel has resisted making the move. The report cites that the push is coming “among many in the Los Angeles Lakers organization,” which is deliciously vague.

Said Vogel on Friday: “We have discussions, just like the front office has thousands of trade discussions every deadline, and they don’t discuss every one of those. Most of them don’t come to fruition. And that’s where we’re at with Russ. Is there a path where that’s the better option? We have talked about that. We’ve talked about everything we can do with our team. We’re not there.”

The interesting mental exercise comes from imagining what would change for the Lakers by bringing Westbrook off the bench. Westbrook would be out of the Lakers’ starting lineup, which presumably would feature LeBron James and more active defenders and long-range shooters more prominently. Westbrook would play fewer minutes of his inefficient style that has not meshed well, particularly with James. He might get more free reign in those secondary units as the point guard, which could theoretically help him find his offensive rhythm.

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Lakers issues this season are on both ends of the court

The Lakers have all sorts of issues this season, and it isn’t just on one end of the floor. They’re 16th in the league in defensive efficiency. And the offense? Here’s the Los Angeles Times:

Since winning the NBA title in 2020, there’s been a steady erosion of that identity. The team tried to recapture its defensive magic the following season despite losing role players like guard Danny Green and center JaVale McGee, but injuries to LeBron James and Anthony Davis sabotaged any hopes of dominating on defense.

This summer the Lakers continued to move away from that style, focusing their attention more on offensive-minded acquisitions in a quest to take pressure off of James’ shoulders.

The results have been a twofold failure. One, the offense has been the more consistent issue despite the investments. The team is 24th in offensive efficiency. Second, because of that, James has had to take on more offensive responsibilities, with league scouts excusing some tendencies to rest on the defensive end because, as one put it, “he can’t be doing everything.”

Following the loss to the Clippers, James said that defensive issues start on the perimeter at the point guard spot and push back to the big men who have been unable to quickly transition from the outside back to the inside once a shot goes up. A healthy Davis would mitigate some of that. But he’s not healthy.

“It’s been challenging for us this year defensively,” James said Thursday.

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Lakers sign D.J. Augustin and Wenyen Gabriel, waive DeAndre Jordan and Sekou Doumbouya

The Los Angeles Lakers have signed guard D.J. Augustin and signed forward Wenyen Gabriel to a two-way contract, it was announced today. In related moves, the Lakers requested waivers on DeAndre Jordan and Sekou Doumbouya.

Augustin appeared in 34 games (two starts) for Houston this season, averaging 5.4 points, 1.2 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 15.0 minutes per game. In 955 career games (334 starts) for Charlotte, Indiana, Toronto, Chicago, Detroit, Oklahoma City, Denver, Orlando, Milwaukee and Houston, Augustin has averaged 9.6 points, 1.9 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game. Across his 14-year career, Augustin has shot 38 percent from three-point range and has shot above 40 percent from three in six separate seasons.

Gabriel appeared in seven games for the Clippers and Nets this season, averaging 2.0 points and 2.1 rebounds in 6.7 minutes. He has appeared in 58 career NBA games (one start) for the Clippers, Nets, Pelicans, Trail Blazers and Kings, averaging 2.6 points and 2.1 rebounds in 9.0 minutes.

Lakers reportedly might waive DeAndre Jordan

The Lakers reportedly plan to thin their center depth a bit in order to add to their backcourt. Via the Los Angeles Times:

The Lakers intend to sign veteran guard D.J. Augustin, waiving center DeAndre Jordan to clear the necessary roster spot, a person with knowledge of the situation not authorized to speak publicly told the The Times.

Augustin, 34, last played for Houston, which waived him Feb. 10. He averaged 5.4 points and 2.2 assists in 34 games with the Rockets.