Category: Los Angeles Lakers Blog

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Lakers salary cap situation

The NBA trade deadline is later this month. As the defending NBA champions, the Lakers look poised to compete for the title again this year. So, big moves aren’t likely. But for a look at roster flexiblity, here’s the OC Register:

Because of the structure of the offseason contracts for Montrezl Harrell and Wesley Matthews, the Lakers are hard-capped, meaning they can’t spend above $138.9 million in salary. They are currently $3.1 million under that number, which is not a lot in NBA money, and even less when you consider that the Lakers can only add veteran minimum contracts because they are above the salary cap threshold ($109.1 million).

Those are a lot of technical terms, but the practical meaning is the Lakers can’t add anyone that they can’t pay a pro-rata veteran’s minimum deal, which at the current moment is less than $1 million. That may hurt them in the hunt for a buyout market candidate: Free agents will have to be motivated to sign with them to win rings.

The hard cap also means that the Lakers will have a very difficult time taking on salary. Even though they have two roster spots available, they have to stay below the $138.9 million mark no matter what, which means there’s almost no fungible way to trade for players with bigger contracts than the salary they’re sending out (usually there’s some leeway). Many of the Lakers’ best trade pieces are underpaid, like Alex Caruso ($2.7 million) or Talen Horton-Tucker ($1.5 million) who are still on smaller deals.

The Lakers are the top-ranked defensive team in the NBA so far this season. What they could use is another player who can provide some offensive punch.

LeBron James calls Jaylen Brown ‘underappreciated’

It’s always cool when LeBron James tells the world that you’re a good basketball player. Via the Boston.com:

After Thursday’s victory over the Toronto Raptors, Celtics wing Jaylen Brown was informed that LeBron James selected him to his All-Star team, calling him “Jaylen Under-Appreciated Brown” on the TNT broadcast.

Brown raised his eyebrows at the recitation of James’s compliment and chuckled.

“That’s great,” Brown said. “To have one of — if not the — best player select you and point out some of the things you’ve been doing or some of the things he’s seen, is great. I appreciate him for that.”

Brown’s season deserves appreciation. The fifth-year wing — and first-time All-Star — is averaging 24.8 points per game on a tidy 49.8 percent shooting, including 38.9 percent from 3-point range. Brown started the season hot and has been one of the league’s best mid-range shooters while aggressively going to the basket. On Thursday, he worked his way to the free-throw line 16 times, making 11.

The Celtics haven’t stood out in the first half of this season. They are a modest 19-17 entering the All-Star break, which is the Eastern conference’s fourth best record. Not bad, but not as good as expected. A pair of key Celtics guards have played limited games so far: Kemba Walker 19, Marcus Smart 17. While Walker is active, Smart could return fairly soon after the break.

Lakers center Marc Gasol out against the Suns tonight

The Lakers will be lacking in the big-man department tonight as they face the Suns. Via the OC Register:

The Lakers are starting to feel the squeeze of attrition in a pandemic-stricken season.

Veteran center Marc Gasol will be the latest Laker to miss time due to the NBA’s COVID-19 protocols: Gasol is listed out for Tuesday night’s game against the Phoenix Suns, the team reported to the NBA on Tuesday afternoon…

Gasol’s absence leaves the Lakers’ punishingly thin at center, which has been a sticky position this season, to begin with. With All-Star forward Anthony Davis out, the only remaining player above 6-foot-10 is Damian Jones, the center recently signed to a 10-day contract who is listed as questionable with a strained back.

Lakers sign center Damian Jones to 10-day contract

The Los Angeles Lakers have signed center Damian Jones to a 10-day contract, Vice President of Basketball Operations and General Manager Rob Pelinka announced today.

Per the OC Register, “he’s expected shore up the big man depth that has been frustratingly thin since Anthony Davis has been out with injury.”

Jones has played in 118 career games (49 starts) for Golden State, Atlanta and Phoenix, with averages of 4.3 points (.657 FG%) and 2.8 rebounds in 13.3 minutes. Last season with Atlanta, Jones notched 5.6 points (.680 FG%) and 3.7 rebounds. In 14 games for Phoenix this year, he tallied 1.6 points and 1.3 rebounds per game.

More from the OC Register: “Without Davis, the Lakers are in need of shot-blocking, which might be an area where Jones can help.”

Devin Booker picked as injury replacement for Anthony Davis on 2021 NBA All-Star team

Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker has been named by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver to replace injured Los Angeles Lakers forward Anthony Davis in the 2021 NBA All-Star Game, which will be played on Sunday, March 7 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta.

Booker has earned his second straight NBA All-Star selection. He is averaging a team-high 24.7 points (16th in the NBA), 4.3 assists and 3.8 rebounds while shooting a career-high 50.1 percent from the field, 38.1 percent from three-point range and 84.8 percent from the free throw line in 26 games this season.

Behind Booker and fellow NBA All-Star Chris Paul, Phoenix has posted the league’s fourth-best record (20-10) and produced its best start through 30 games of a season since 2007-08. With the selection of Booker and Paul, the Suns have multiple NBA All-Stars in a season for the first time since 2009-10 (Steve Nash and Amar’e Stoudemire).

Davis will miss the NBA All-Star Game after sustaining a right calf strain against the Denver Nuggets on Feb. 14. He was voted by NBA head coaches as an All-Star reserve, his eighth consecutive All-Star selection. Davis is averaging 22.5 points, 8.4 rebounds and 1.78 blocks in 23 games this season.

According to NBA rules, when a player selected to the All-Star Game is unable to participate, the Commissioner shall choose a replacement from the same conference as the player who is being replaced. Davis and Booker both play for Western Conference teams.

The NBA All-Star Game rosters will be determined through the NBA All-Star Draft, where team captains Kevin Durant of the Brooklyn Nets and LeBron James of the Lakers will select from the pool of players named starters and reserves in each conference. TNT will air the NBA All-Star Draft on Thursday, March 4 at 8 p.m. ET.

In the two-round NBA All-Star Draft, Booker will be selected with the All-Star Game reserves in the second round. The starters will be selected in the first round. Davis will be assigned to the same All-Star team that drafts Booker.

Lakers waive Quinn Cook

The Los Angeles Lakers waived guard Quinn Cook today.

Cook appeared in 16 games for the Lakers this season, averaging 2.1 points in 3.9 minutes per game.

A two-time NBA champion, he has played in 181 regular season games (29 starts) for the Mavericks, Pelicans, Warriors and Lakers, holding career averages of 6.4 points (.463 FG%), 1.7 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 14.1 minutes.

LeBron James named a 2021 NBA All-Star Game starter and team captain

LeBron James has been selected by fans, current NBA players and a media panel to start in the 2021 NBA All-Star Game, which will take place on Sunday, March 7 in Atlanta.

James’ 17 All-Star selections are the third most in NBA history, behind Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (19) and Kobe Bryant (18). James, the leading scorer in All-Star Game history (385 points), is set to extend his record for consecutive All-Star starts to 17 – a streak that began in his second NBA season, 2004-05.

As one of the NBA All-Star Game starters who led their respective conferences in fan votes during NBA All-Star Voting 2021, James will serve as a team captain for the Team LeBron vs. Team Durant matchup and draft the rosters from the pool of players voted as starters and reserves in each conference. TNT will air the 2021 NBA All-Star Draft on Thursday, March 4 at 8 p.m. ET. LeBron will be serving as a team captain for the 4th year in a row.

Along with James (frontcourt), the Western Conference starter pool includes the Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry (guard), the Dallas Mavericks’ Luka Dončić (guard), the Denver Nuggets’ Nikola Jokić (frontcourt) and the LA Clippers’ Kawhi Leonard (frontcourt).

In the Eastern Conference, Kevin Durant (frontcourt) is joined in the starter pool by the Milwaukee Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo (frontcourt), the Washington Wizards’ Bradley Beal (guard), the Philadelphia 76ers’ Joel Embiid (frontcourt) and the Nets’ Kyrie Irving (guard).

LeBron James criticizes 2021 NBA All-Star game plan

The NBA will probably be playing a 2021 NBA All-Star game. Lakers superstar LeBron James did not welcome the reported news. Via the LA Times:

On the same day teams learned of an expected agreement between the NBA and its players’ association to hold the 2021 NBA All-Star game in Atlanta on March 7, Lakers star LeBron James trashed the idea, calling it a “slap in the face.”

“I have zero energy and zero excitement about an All-Star game this year,” James said. “I don’t even understand why we’re having an All-Star game.”

If selected, he said, he’d reluctantly participate.

Considering all the travel players do over the course of the season, it doesn’t seem like a lot to fly to Atlanta for one quick extra game. But in the case of the Lakers and Heat, the two teams that played in the 2020 Finals, the offseason was a very short one, so perhaps stars on those teams could use some extra days off more than most of the league’s squads.

I hope an All-Star game does get played. Because the games are fun. It’s as simple as that. But I will understand if players who participated in the 2020 Conference Finals or league Finals might want to duck out of the action.

Pelicans forward Zion Williamson reportedly good to play Friday against Lakers

The Pelicans should have some frontcourt power back in the mix for their game against the Lakers tomorrow. Via the New Orleans Times-Picayune:

After missing Wednesday’s game due to an inconclusive test result, Zion Williamson has received clearance to play Friday against the Los Angeles Lakers, a team source said.

Williamson was held out of the Pelicans’ 111-106 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers. Following the inconclusive test, Williamson took subsequent tests, the results of which came back negative. That clears the way for him to face LeBron James, Anthony Davis and the defending champion Lakers on national TV.

The Lakers are Western conference-best 10-3 this season, while the Pelicans are 13th in the conference at 4-6.

Lakers 7-0 on road so far this season

The Lakers are just 3-3 at home so far this season, but an impressive 7-0 on the road. Via the OC Register:

It’s a season in which home-court advantage means as little as ever, but it still has to mean something: The Lakers have not yet lost on the road.

Momentum continued to pick up for the league leaders, as the Lakers (10-3) swept aside the rebuilding Oklahoma City Thunder, 128-99, on Wednesday night to improve to 7-0 away from Staples Center – the best road start in franchise history. The visitors never trailed.

Wednesday’s effort looked as breezy as the previous two wins in Houston: LeBron James drilled five 3-pointers to lead with 26 points, adding seven assists. Anthony Davis played just 24 minutes, adding 18 points.

Leading the team in scoring so far this season is LeBron at 24.2 points per game, Davis at 22.5 ppg, Dennis Schroder at 14.3 ppg, Montrezl Harrell off the bench at 13.0 ppg, and Kyle Kuzma mostly off the bench at 10.8 ppg.