Category: Los Angeles Lakers Blog

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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.

Lakers sign Jemerrio Jones to a 10-day contract

The Los Angeles Lakers have signed forward Jemerrio Jones to a 10-day contract, pursuant to the NBA Hardship Exception provisions.

Jones has appeared in 11 games for the Wisconsin Herd this season, averaging 6.5 points, 8.3 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.5 steals in 25.7 minutes per game. Jones returns to Los Angeles after averaging 4.5 points, 8.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.2 steals in 23.8 minutes in six games (two starts) for the Lakers during the 2018-19 season

Lakers sign Mason Jones, waive Chaundee Brown Jr.

The Los Angeles Lakers requested waivers on guard Chaundee Brown Jr. and have signed guard Mason Jones to a two-way contract.

In 12 games with the South Bay Lakers this season, Jones has averaged 18.2 points (.518 FG%, .420 3FG%), 6.1 rebounds, 7.3 assists and 1.2 steals in 30.2 minutes per game. Jones has appeared in 32 career NBA games (one start) for the 76ers and Rockets, averaging 5.3 points, 1.7 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 10.4 minutes.

Lakers’ Anthony Davis out at least four weeks with knee injury

A key Lakers star will be out of action until early 2022. Via the Orange County Register:

Amid a bumpy start, the Lakers (16-14) have continued to insist that at full strength they can be a contender.

But after Jaden McDaniels rolled into Anthony Davis’ left knee Friday night, that timeline got pushed back even further.

The Lakers announced Saturday an enormous injury setback for Davis, 28, who will miss at least four weeks (and could miss more) with an MCL sprain in his knee. The injury was confirmed the day after he was hurt against the Minnesota Timberwolves, when the team was able to get an MRI in Davis’ hometown of Chicago.

Not only will Davis miss a coveted matchup Sunday against the Bulls, his childhood team, but he’ll miss a month in a season quickly gone haywire for the Lakers, who have also been hammered by positive coronavirus tests in the past week.

The Lakers are just 6th in the Western conference.

Their scorers so far in 2021-22 are LeBron James at 25.7 ppg, Davis at 23.3 ppg, Russell Westbrook at 19.4 ppg, new addition Isaiah Thomas at 19.0 ppg in one game played, and Carmelo Anthony mostly off the bench at 13.2 ppg.

Lakers sign Isaiah Thomas to a 10-day contract

The Los Angeles Lakers have signed guard Isaiah Thomas to a 10-day contract pursuant to the NBA Hardship Exception provisions.

Thomas has appeared in 528 career NBA games (361 starts) for the Pelicans, Wizards, Nuggets, Cavaliers, Celtics, Suns, Kings and Lakers, averaging 18.1 points, 2.4 rebounds and 4.9 assists in 28.8 minutes. The 10-year NBA veteran most recently played one game for the Grand Rapids Gold in the NBA G League, totaling 42 points, six rebounds, eight assists and two steals in 43 minutes.

Thomas returns to Los Angeles after averaging 15.6 points, 2.1 rebounds and 5.0 assists in 26.8 minutes in 17 games (one start) for the Lakers during the 2017-18 season.