Category: Los Angeles Lakers Blog

Lakers blog – Los Angeles Lakers blog

Lakers must rally just to make the 2022 NBA playoffs

LeBron James and the Lakers are in a tough spot these days. The squad faces an uphill battle in their quest just to make the playoffs. Via the Los Angeles Times:

The Lakers will be without Anthony Davis for at least the next four weeks, their place in the Western Conference standings on shaky ground. They have a 2 1/2-game lead on Portland, the current 10th-place team. They’re 4 1/2 games ahead of San Antonio and New Orleans, who are chasing the final play-in spot.

If there’s a reason to believe in the Lakers’ chances to make the playoffs, it’s been James, who is in one of the best offensive grooves of the season. He’s scored at least 25 points in 23 straight games, a stretch during which he’s averaging 31.7 points.

Lakers’ Anthony Davis out with foot sprain

Once again, Anthony Davis is injured. Via ESPN.com:

Anthony Davis will be out at least four weeks after an MRI showed that the Los Angeles Lakers star has a mid-foot sprain, the team announced Thursday.

Davis suffered the injury in the team’s 106-101 win against the Utah Jazz on Wednesday.

He underwent X-rays that night at Crypto.com Arena that revealed no fracture, according to the team, but an MRI Thursday revealed the sprain.

The Lakers said team doctors will reevaluate the star big man in four weeks.

The Lakers are just 27-31 this season, which is the 9th best record in the Western conference. They haven’t looked like a championship contender at all this season, and with the way things are going will have to hustle and step things up just to make the playoffs. A task made even more difficult with this Davis injury.

LeBron James dealing with swelling in knee

LeBron James’ knee needs to be checked out. Via ESPN.com:

Lakers star LeBron James flew back to Los Angeles on Saturday for treatment on his ailing left knee and will not be with the team for the end of its six-game road trip against the Hawks on Sunday, according to Lakers coach Frank Vogel.

James underwent an MRI that revealed “general swelling,” Vogel said. Sunday is the third straight game that James, 37, has missed because of the knee.

“As long as the swelling is there, he’s going to be out and we’ll get him back as soon as we can,” Vogel said.

Lakers sign Stanley Johnson

The Los Angeles Lakers have signed forward Stanley Johnson, it was announced today by Vice President of Basketball Operations and General Manager Rob Pelinka.

Johnson has averaged 6.4 points, 2.6 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 21.2 minutes through 14 games (six starts) with Los Angeles this season.

Per the Los Angeles Times, “Johnson, who has played through three 10-day contracts with the Lakers, originally joined them as hardship a exemption during the Lakers’ coronavirus outbreak. He quickly earned two more 10-day deals because of his defensive versatility, starting six times. The Lakers won five of those games, including Tuesday against the Nets in Brooklyn.”

Initially called up from the South Bay Lakers on December 24, the Fullerton native is shooting a career-high 51.6 percent from the field and a career-best 34.4 percent from three-point range.

Anthony Davis set to return for Lakers

The Lakers are about to receive a big boost. Via the Orange County Register:

After the week the Lakers had, they need good news.

It came on Monday afternoon, when Anthony Davis was upgraded to probable for Tuesday’s game against the Brooklyn Nets. It now appears likely that the 28-year-old All-Star big man will return from a 17-game absence from a sprained MCL in his left knee, which could help lift the eighth-place Lakers (23-24) back into the upper half of the Western Conference standings.

The Lakers are cautiously optimistic, waiting to see how Davis feels on Tuesday before tip-off, but having him back would be a huge lift…

The Lakers have struggled to a 7-10 record without Davis, who was averaging 23.3 points, 9.9 rebounds and 2 blocked shots per game when he was hurt in Minnesota back on Dec. 17. His return is going to significantly change the Lakers’ style and rotations.

Lakers sign Sekou Doumbouya to two-way contract, and waive Jay Huff

The Los Angeles Lakers have signed Sekou Doumbouya to a two-way contract.

And in a related move, the Lakers requested waivers on Jay Huff.

In two games with Los Angeles this season, Doumbouya averaged 7.0 points, 3.0 rebounds, 1.5 steals and 1.0 block in 8.0 minutes per game. He has appeared in 96 career NBA games (30 starts) for the Lakers and Pistons, averaging 5.6 points and 2.8 rebounds in 17.1 minutes.

Lakers sign Stanley Johnson to 10-day contract

The Los Angeles Lakers have signed forward Stanley Johnson to a 10-day contract, it was announced today by Vice President of Basketball Operations and General Manager Rob Pelinka.

Johnson has averaged 6.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.0 steal in 25.2 minutes through five games (three starts) with Los Angeles this season. He has appeared in 376 career games (80 starts) for the Raptors, Pelicans, Pistons and Lakers, averaging 6.2 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 19.8 minutes.

Three-team NBA trade sends Rajon Rondo from Lakers to Cavaliers

The Cleveland Cavaliers have acquired guard Rajon Rondo from the Los Angeles Lakers in a three-team trade, Cavaliers General Manager Koby Altman announced today from Cleveland Clinic Courts.

In the deal, the New York Knicks receive guard Denzel Valentine from Cleveland and the draft rights to Wang Zhelin (57th pick in 2016 NBA Draft) and Brad Newley (54th pick in 2007 NBA Draft) and cash considerations from the Lakers.

In addition, Los Angeles receives the draft rights to Louis Labeyrie (57th pick in 2014 NBA Draft) from New York.

Rondo (6-1, 180) played in 18 games for the Lakers this season. Over his 16-year NBA career, he has appeared in 936 games (732 starts) with the Lakers, Clippers, Hawks, Pelicans, Bulls, Kings, Mavericks and Celtics, owning career averages of 9.8 points, 4.6 rebounds, 8.0 assists and 1.6 steals in 30.1 minutes per contest. His 7,481 assists rank 14th all-time in NBA history and are the fourth-most among active players. The veteran guard has also led the league in assists three times (2012, 2013 and 2016) and steals once (2010) while registering 32 triple-doubles and 236 double-doubles over his career.

A two-time NBA Champion (2008, 2020) and four-time NBA All-Star (2010-2013), Rondo has been named to the NBA’s All-Defensive Team four times (2009-2012), including two First Team nods (2010, 2011), and was an All-NBA Third Team selection in 2012. Additionally, Rondo has appeared in 134 playoff games (105 starts), averaging 12.5 points, 5.6 rebounds, 8.5 assists and 1.7 steals in 34.0 minutes per game.

Rondo will wear jersey #1 with the Cavaliers.

Valentine (6-5, 218) signed with the Cavaliers on September 22, 2021 and appeared in 22 games this season.

Lakers sign Darren Collison and Stanley Johnson to 10-day contracts

The Los Angeles Lakers have signed guard Darren Collison and forward Stanley Johnson to 10-day contracts pursuant to the NBA Hardship Exception provisions, it was announced today.

Collison has appeared in 708 career games (518 starts) for Indiana, Sacramento, LA Clippers, Dallas and New Orleans, averaging 12.5 points (.471 FG%, .394 3FG%), 2.7 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 1.2 steals in 29.4 minutes.

Johnson has appeared in 371 career games (77 starts) for the Raptors, Pelicans and Pistons, averaging 6.2 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 19.7 minutes. He most recently played six games for the South Bay Lakers, averaging 15.3 points, 6.7 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.7 steals in 30.6 minutes per game.