Los Angeles Lakers Blog – Page 4 – NBA Blog

Lakers sign rookies Jalen Hood-Schifino and Maxwell Lewis

The Los Angeles Lakers have signed rookie guard Jalen Hood-Schifino and rookie forward Maxwell Lewis.

Selected by the Lakers with the 17th overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, Hood-Schifino (6’6”, 215) averaged 13.5 points (.417 FG%, .333 3P%), 4.1 rebounds and 3.7 assists in 32 games (all starts) in his lone season at Indiana University. The 2022-23 Big Ten Freshman of the Year also earned All-Big Ten Third Team honors and ranked ninth in the conference in total assists (117).

Lewis (6’7”, 205) averaged 14.6 points (.453 FG%, .354 3P%), 4.7 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.0 steals in 52 career games (33 starts) across two seasons (2021-23) at Pepperdine University. The 2022-23 All-WCC Second Team honoree posted averages of 17.1 points, 5.7 rebounds and 2.8 assists in his final collegiate season. Lewis, selected with the 40th overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, was acquired by the Lakers on June 22 as part of a four-team trade.

Lakers sign Jaxson Hayes

The Los Angeles Lakers signed center Jaxson Hayes, it was announced today by Vice President of Basketball Operations and General Manager Rob Pelinka.

Hayes (7’0”, 217) joins the purple and gold after spending the last four seasons (2019-23) with the New Orleans Pelicans. The 23-year-old appeared in 47 games (two starts) in 2022-23 and registered averages of 5.0 points (.551 FG%) and 2.8 rebounds in 13.0 minutes per game.

In 241 career NBA games (47 starts), Hayes has averaged 7.5 points (.622 FG%) and 4.0 rebounds in 16.8 minutes per contest. Hayes has recorded seven games with at least 20 points in his career and has shot over 60.0 percent from the field in three of his four NBA seasons. The Norman, Okla., native appeared in six postseason contests (all starts) following the 2021-22 season, averaging 5.8 points (.560 FG%) and 2.5 rebounds in 13.8 minutes per game.

Hayes was originally selected by the Atlanta Hawks with the eighth overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft out of the University of Texas. In one season with the Longhorns (2018-19), where he was named Big 12 Freshman of the Year and an All-Big 12 Second Team honoree, he averaged 10.0 points (.728 FG%), 5.0 rebounds and 2.2 blocks in 23.3 minutes per game. Hayes ranked fourth in the league in blocked shots (71), helping him earn a spot on the Big 12 All-Defensive Team.

Lakers sign Colin Castleton and D’Moi Hodge to two-way contracts

The Los Angeles Lakers yesterday signed center Colin Castleton and guard D’Moi Hodge to two-way contracts.

Castleton (6’11”, 231) appeared in 26 games (all starts) in his final campaign at the University of Florida last season, averaging 16.0 points, 7.7 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 3.0 blocks in 31.2 minutes per contest, earning him All-SEC First Team honors. The 2023 All-SEC Defensive Team selection led the conference in blocks per game, good for the third-best mark in the NCAA. Across five seasons at Florida (2020-23) and the University of Michigan (2018-20), Castleton posted averages of 10.4 points, 5.6 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 1.7 blocks in 20.9 minutes per game while shooting 53.7 percent from the field.

Hodge (6’4”, 185) most recently played his final collegiate season at the University of Missouri (2022-23) where he averaged 14.7 points, 3.9 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 2.6 steals in 29.1 minutes per game, while shooting an SEC-best 40.0 percent from 3-point range. The British Virgin Islands native led the conference in both total steals (91) and steals per game as a Tiger. Prior to Missouri, Hodge played at Cleveland State University (2020-22) and the State College of Florida (2018-20).

Both players will suit up for the 2023 Los Angeles Lakers’ Summer League team.

D’Angelo Russell reportedly re-signing with Lakers

Per ESPN.com:

Co-heads of CAA Basketball Austin Brown and Aaron Mintz, along with Antonio Russell, have confirmed that D’Angelo Russell has an agreement on a two-year, $37 million contract with the Los Angeles Lakers.

A player option for the next year is part of the agreement.

In a three-team trade involving the Lakers, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Utah Jazz, Russell, who was originally selected by the Lakers with the No. 2 overall pick in 2015, returned to Los Angeles in February. He came from the Wolves to take the place of departing Russell Westbrook.

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Lakers waive Mo Bamba and Shaquille Harrison

The Los Angeles Lakers requested waivers on center Mo Bamba and guard Shaquille Harrison, it was announced today.

Bamba appeared in nine games (one start) for the Lakers last season, averaging 3.7 points and 4.6 rebounds in 9.8 minutes per game. The 25-year-old appeared in three postseason games for Los Angeles, averaging 1.0 rebounds in 3.3 minutes. Bamba was acquired by Los Angeles on Feb. 9.

Harrison played in eight postseason games for Los Angeles last season, averaging 1.3 points and 1.1 assists in 3.5 minutes per game. The 29-year-old was signed by the Lakers on April 9.

Lakers extend qualifying offers to Rui Hachimura and Austin Reaves

The Los Angeles Lakers yesterday extended qualifying offers to forward Rui Hachimura and guard Austin Reaves.

As a result of the qualifying offers, Hachimura and Reaves become restricted free agents.

After joining Los Angeles via trade from Washington on Jan. 23, Hachimura appeared in 33 games (nine starts) and averaged 9.6 points (.485 FG%) and 4.7 rebounds in 22.4 minutes per contest to end the 2022-23 regular season. Overall, Hachimura appeared in 63 games (nine starts) with the Lakers and Wizards last season and averaged 11.2 points and 4.5 rebounds in 23.3 minutes per game. During the 2023 NBA Playoffs with the purple and gold, Hachimura averaged 12.2 points and 3.6 rebounds in 16 games (one start), shooting 55.7 percent from the field and 48.7 percent from 3-point range, good for the sixth-best mark in the playoffs. The 25-year-old was the only player in the 2023 NBA Playoffs to shoot at least 55 percent from the field (min. 10 FGA), 48 percent from 3-point range and 88 percent from the free-throw line. On April 16 versus Memphis, Hachimura scored 29 points (11-14 FG, 3-6 3FG) to go with six rebounds and one assist off the bench, tying Mychal Thompson in 1988 for the most points scored by a Lakers reserve in a playoff game. Hachimura then finished with 20 points, five rebounds, two assists and one steal on April 19 at the Grizzlies, becoming the first Lakers player since Magic Johnson in 1996 to score 20+ points off the bench in consecutive playoff games.

In the 2022-23 campaign, Reaves appeared in 64 games (22 starts) for the Lakers, averaging 13.0 points (.529 FG%, .398 3P%), 3.0 rebounds and 3.4 assists in 28.8 minutes. Reaves joined Kevin Durant and Kawhi Leonard as the only players in the league to shoot at least 50 percent from the field, 39 percent from 3-point range and 85 percent from the free-throw line (min. 200 FTM). The 25-year-old scored in double figures in 42 games, including 10 games with 20+ points and one 30-point performance. On March 19 versus Orlando, Reaves finished with a career-high 35 points (9-14 FG, 16-18 FT) while adding six rebounds and six assists, becoming the first undrafted Lakers player to score 35+ points and just the second player in team history to tally 35+ points, 5+ rebounds and 5+ assists off the bench. In his second season with the Lakers, Reaves improved his career averages in scoring and assists, as well as his shooting percentages from the field, 3-point range and the charity stripe. In 16 playoff games (all starts) last season, Reaves averaged 16.9 points, 4.4 rebounds and 4.6 assists while shooting 46.4 percent from the field, 44.3 percent from long distance and 89.5 percent from the free-throw line. He scored in double figures in 15 of his 16 playoff appearances, including seven games with at least 20 points.

2023-24 Lakers preseason game schedule

The Los Angeles Lakers announced today the team’s 2023-24 preseason schedule, presented by Delta Air Lines. The slate is highlighted by two home games at Crypto.com Arena, as well as contests in Las Vegas and Greater Palm Springs.

Los Angeles will open the preseason on the road at Golden State on Oct. 7 at Chase Center, before heading to Las Vegas for a matchup versus Brooklyn on Oct. 9 inside T-Mobile Arena. The purple and gold will then host two consecutive home games at Crypto.com Arena against Golden State on Oct. 13 and Milwaukee on Oct. 15. The Lakers will finish out the preseason by hosting Phoenix in Greater Palm Springs on Oct. 19 at Acrisure Arena.

Spectrum SportsNet will broadcast all five preseason games as it begins its 12th consecutive season as the exclusive regional broadcast home for Lakers basketball. Additionally, all preseason games can be heard on the team’s flagship radio station, 710 AM ESPNLA, and in Spanish on KWKW 1330 AM.

Nikola Jokic leads Denver Nuggets to their first-ever NBA Finals trip

Via the Denver Post:

Nikola Jokic stood near halfcourt and unleashed a roar that had been years in the making.

Late in the fourth quarter of Monday’s gripping Game 4, after one of Jokic’s sublime dimes found Aaron Gordon for a dunk, Jokic screamed at the history he and the Nuggets were approaching. Not four minutes later, in front of championship banners that Denver had only been allowed to dream about, the Nuggets seized the Western Conference crown over LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers, 113-111.

Their victory punched Denver’s first-ever trip to the NBA Finals by virtue of its first-ever playoff sweep in franchise history.

As James drove to the hoop in the final seconds, Jamal Murray got his hands on the ball in an attempt to thwart James. At the same time, Aaron Gordon soared over and blocked the ball. Game over, and Denver’s reserves stormed the court.

“We got four more wins to go,” Murray said.

Jokic, named the Western Conference Finals MVP, finished with a 30-point, 14-rebound, 13-assist triple-double, setting an NBA record with his eighth in the postseason.

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Lakers change starting lineup but lose Game 4 and series to Nuggets

Via the Los Angeles Times:

In the end, Lakers big man Anthony Davis was outdueled by Denver Nuggets big man Nikola Jokic, and that made the difference in Game 4 of the Western Conference finals Monday night.

In the end, changing the lineup and starting forward Rui Hachimura and point guard Dennis Schroder in place of forward Jarred Vanderbilt and point guard D’Angelo Russell didn’t make enough of a difference for the Lakers in a 113-111 loss.

In the end, even though the Lakers showed how much fight they had, it wasn’t enough to prevent them from getting swept in the best-of-seven series and seeing their season end.

Jokic was simply the best player in the series, producing his third triple-double in four games. He had 30 points, 14 rebounds and 13 assists despite committing five fouls and allowed the Nuggets to pull out the win after trailing by 15.

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LeBron James’ 40 points can’t carry Lakers over Nuggets

Via the Los Angeles Times:

LeBron James would yawn, often, when the cameras were, and weren’t, aimed at him. From early in the season, when the Lakers were still trying to tackle to unsolvable problems of last year, until deep into this playoff push, it never was much of a secret.

He was tired.

This was the best argument among plenty of credible ones why Monday evening would be it, the end to Year 20, the conclusion to a season in which he made history and improbably got his team to the conference finals.

The year was so long, so mentally exhausting, so physically demanding, that the Lakers and James wouldn’t be able to fight to extend it any longer.

Yet Monday night, James gave everything, all of the energy that was left in his 38-year-old body. He got his team close. He couldn’t get them any further than that.

Nikola Jokic hit the game’s biggest shot while two chances for James couldn’t get converted pushed Denver to the NBA Finals after a 113-111 win to sweep the Lakers.

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