Los Angeles Lakers Blog – Page 29 – NBA Blog

Lakers extend qualifying offer to Julius Randle

The Los Angeles Lakers have extended a qualifying offer to forward Julius Randle, it was announced today by General Manager Rob Pelinka.

By extending the qualifying offer, Randle becomes a restricted free agent.

According to the LA Times, the offer is worth $5.6 million. And per the paper, “Randle will count for slightly less than $12.5 million against the Lakers’ salary cap.”

Drafted seventh overall by the Lakers in the 2014 NBA Draft, Randle owns career averages of 13.5 points (.493 FG%), 8.9 rebounds and 2.6 assists in 238 games (182 starts) for Los Angeles. Randle finished 10th in the NBA in field goal percentage last season, shooting 55.8 percent from the floor. The University of Kentucky product played all 82 games (49 starts) in 2017-18, averaging a career-best 16.1 points, 8.0 rebounds and 2.6 assists.

Magic Johnson establishes personal Lakers free agency goals

Magic Johnson is more than ready to put pressure on himself in regard to his Lakers front office role. But reminds everybody that it’s not all about this summer, but the next one as well. Here’s the LA Times with more on what Magic said to the media today:

Lakers president of basketball operations Magic Johnson said Tuesday he will step down from his role if the Lakers fail to attract marquee players in the free-agency periods of 2018 and 2019.

“Next summer if nobody comes and I’m still sitting here like this, then it’s a failure,” Johnson said. “But if you judge us on one summer that’s ridiculous. Then a lot of dudes shouldn’t be in their roles. Because if we’re banking on one summer for the Lakers we’re in trouble, we’re in trouble. You have to give us time. This class, like I told you before I took the job and when I took the job, it’s going to be a two-summer thing for the Lakers. This summer and next summer. That’s it.

“If I can’t deliver I’m going to step down myself, she won’t have to fire me,” he said of controlling owner Jeanie Buss. “I’ll step away from it, because I can’t do this job.”

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Lakers sign Travis Wear for rest of season

The Lakers signed forward Travis Wear for the remainder of the season today.

Wear has averaged 4.8 points, 2.2 rebounds and 12.1 minutes in 10 games since signing the first of two 10-day contracts with the Lakers on March 2. Initially called up from the South Bay Lakers, the Huntington Beach native is shooting 40.0 percent from three-point range.

The Lakers roster stands at 16, including two two-way players.

Lakers fall to Pacers, 110-100

The Lakers aren’t going to make the playoffs, but they’ve been a very solid team since the All-Star break, especially for a team built for the future. Here’s the Daily Breeze reporting on last night’s loss to the Pacers:

The injury bump has given way to the injury slump.

When first the Lakers had to respond to injuries to Brandon Ingram and Josh Hart, they did so admirably. They won games against the Miami Heat – the night Ingram went down – and San Antonio and Denver, all likely playoff teams. But gradually, the strain on the few healthy, remaining players has taken a toll too great to overcome, a fact forcefully punctuated by Monday’s 110-100 loss to the Indiana Pacers.

Luke Walton has seen it before. Lived it.

“Looking back to when I played,” Walton said, “If Kobe (Bryant) or someone like that, Lamar (Odom), was out, we’d all pick it up. But after three or four games, all those things that really good players make look easy, start to get a lot more difficult.”

Against the Pacers, the mundane was maddening. Passes sailed out of bounds and uncontested jumpers missed. The three starters in the Lakers’ frontcourt combined for 71 points, but their guards struggled.

Lakers sign Travis Wear to second 10-day contract

The Lakers today signed forward Travis Wear to a second 10-day contract.

Wear has averaged 4.6 points and 2.4 rebounds in 10.4 minutes through five games with the Los Angeles Lakers. The UCLA product earned his first NBA Call-Up on March 2 after 33 games (29 starts) with the South Bay Lakers, where he averaged 16.7 points, 8.3 rebounds and 2.0 assists, while shooting 44.5 percent from the field and 41.9 percent from three-point range.

The Lakers roster stands at 17, including two two-way players.

Lakers sign Derrick Williams to 10-day contract

Derrick Williams’ NBA career isn’t over just yet. Not for the next week and a half, at least.

The Los Angeles Lakers signed Williams to a 10-day contract today.

Williams, a forward, most recently appeared in 15 games (six starts) for the Tianjin Gold Lions of the Chinese Basketball Association, averaging 20.0 points, 6.6 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game. Formerly the second overall selection in the 2011 NBA Draft, Williams holds career averages of 8.9 points and 4.0 rebounds in 426 games (112 starts) with Minnesota, Sacramento, New York, Miami and Cleveland.

The Lakers roster stands at 17, including two two-way players.

Lakers sign Travis Wear to 10-day contract

The Lakers today signed forward Travis Wear to a 10-day contract.

Wear has appeared in 33 games (29 starts) for the South Bay Lakers this season, averaging 16.7 points, 8.3 rebounds and 2.0 assists, while shooting 44.5 percent from the field and 41.9 percent from three-point range. In 2014-15, the UCLA graduate averaged 3.9 points and 2.1 rebounds in 13.2 minutes with the New York Knicks.

In February, he competed for the second time with Team USA as part of the FIBA World Cup Qualifying first round, helping lead the team to a 4-0 record.

The Lakers roster stands at 16, including two two-way players.

Josh Hart out after hand surgery

Lakers guard Josh Hart, who fractured the fourth metacarpal on his left hand at Wednesday’s practice in Miami, had surgery today to repair the fracture. The surgery was performed by Dr. Steven S. Shin.

Hart is expected to miss 4-6 weeks.

According to ABC7.com, “Hart is averaging 6.6 points, 3.7 rebounds and 21.5 minutes per game this season. The 30th pick in the NBA draft has started 20 games and four of his six double-doubles have come in his past 10 games as a starter. “He brings a lot to the team,” said point guard Lonzo Ball, who cut Hart’s steak for him at a Miami steakhouse when some players went to dinner the same day Hart injured his hand.”

Lonzo Ball gets six steals in Lakers win

Lonzo Ball’s recent return from injury has been a success. First in very limited minutes, but now playing most of the game. The scoring stars in tonight’s Lakers win over the Heat were Isaiah Thomas, Julius Randle, Brandon Ingram, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Kyle Kuzma. But Ball filled the stat-sheet quite nicely. Here’s ESPN.com reporting:

As Lonzo Ball stood at his locker stall, he mumbled about how tired he was.

Despite still feeling some discomfort in his left knee, Ball was back in the starting lineup and had his best game since returning from a sprained left MCL, leaving his fingerprints all over the Los Angeles Lakers’ 131-113 rout over the Miami Heat.

Ball filled up the box score with 8 points, 7 assists, 6 rebounds and a career-high 6 steals in 34 minutes. It was the most minutes Ball has played in his three games back. He missed 15 games because of his MCL injury.

Six Lakers scored in double figures Thursday night, including Isaiah Thomas (29 points and six 3-pointers) and Julius Randle (25 points, 21 coming in the first half), but Lakers coach Luke Walton said Ball was the best player on the floor despite taking only five shots.

Lakers waive Corey Brewer

The Lakers have waived Corey Brewer.

“It was a pleasure to have Corey on our team,” said Lakers General Manager Rob Pelinka. “Corey’s professionalism and competitive mindset will leave a positive mark on the Lakers for a long time. We appreciate his time with the team and wish him the best of luck for the remainder of his career.”

Brewer appeared in 54 games (two starts) for the Lakers this season, averaging 3.7 points and 1.7 rebounds in 12.9 minutes.

The Lakers roster stands at 15, including two two-way players.