Luke Walton will be given time as Lakers transform

When you add LeBron James to a team, it doesn’t automatically mean the squad will instantly start winning and have no growing pains. Chances are, the Lakers will win more than they lose early on, but as new key players learn to play with each other, there will be winning streaks but also some losing. One step back, two steps forward, on and on. Here’s ESPN.com reporting that Magic Johnson understand this, and won’t hold it against head coach Luke Walton if there are some early-season bumps:

Saying he understands that the revamped Los Angeles Lakers will need time to mesh, Magic Johnson said he told head coach Luke Walton not to worry if the team gets off to a bumpy start this season.

“As I was talking to Luke [with GM Rob Pelinka], we said don’t worry about if we get out to a bad start,” Johnson, the Lakers’ president of basketball operations, said Thursday as the team’s brass met with the media. “We have seen that with LeBron [James] going to Miami, and we have seen that when he came back to Cleveland. He is going to struggle because there are so many new moving parts. But eventually we are going to get it, and we are going to be really a good team.”

The Lakers added veterans such as James, Rajon Rondo, Lance Stephenson, JaVale McGee and Michael Beasley in free agency to go with a young developing core of Brandon Ingram, Kyle Kuzma, Lonzo Ball and Josh Hart. In addition to adding multiple players who have been at their best with the ball in their hands, the Lakers injected their locker room with some strong and unique personalities.

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On the role of Dirk Nowitzki this season

Here’s the Dallas Morning News reporting on Mavs forward Dirk Nowitzki, whose career is winding down and his role continues to diminish:

His role on the court won’t change a bit. He’ll still be featured in the pick-and-pop and the spot-up shooting roles. And the one-legged fadeaway that he pioneered will come out of mothballs every so often. What is unknown is at what points Nowitzki will be on the court during the course of games. His 22 to 24 minutes of playing time could come at the start of each half, but that would mean either Wesley Matthews assumes the sixth man role or Luka Doncic isn’t starting. And if Doncic isn’t a starter, something has gone haywire. It might make sense to bring Nowitzki off the bench as the sixth man, pairing him with J.J. Barea and maybe another guard to be named. That grouping has always been very effective. But no matter what, season No. 21 will be a celebration of Nowitzki’s basketball life. It seems likely to be his last. Maybe.

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On Warriors forward-center Kevon Looney

Here’s NBC Sports Bay Area with a look at what Kevon Looney’s role on the Warriors may be in 2018-19:

On Warriors forward-center Kevon Looney

With new acquisition DeMarcus Cousins expected to rehab well into the regular season, there is open competition at center that includes Looney. Though he’s likely to earn some starts at center, he’s more likely to be used as a reserve big man in a small lineup. His offense has been spotty, but there is reason to anticipate improvement. He’s smart and operates well within the team’s switching defensive schemes, gaining the trust of his teammates. As long as he is healthy, though, Looney will get minutes.

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Doc Rivers discusses the state of the Clippers

Here’s the Daily Breeze reporting what Clippers coach Doc Rivers had to say about his squad as the 2018-19 season approaches:

Instead of teeing it up on a golf course, Doc Rivers spent Wednesday morning on a terrace at the Clippers Training Center, sipping coffee and explaining to reporters why, entering his sixth season as the Clippers coach, he’s so excited about the challenge that his job presents.

“I could’ve stayed in Boston and been safe, but you want the challenge, and I looked at the Clippers as the ultimate challenge,” said Rivers, who was joined Wednesday by Lawrence Frank, the team’s president of basketball operations.

“Historically, we’ve had some shaky (times),” Rivers continued. “But lately we’ve been really good, we just haven’t been the best. And my two goals are, one, to win a title, and two, when you hear that (Clippers) name, you think very positive.

“When you hear free agents and they say, ‘L.A.,’ they’re just not meaning the other team. Five, six years ago, you didn’t hear that, but now … when people say, ‘I want to go to L.A.,’ they mean both teams. And sometimes they mean only our team. To me, that’s a level of success that tells you that we’re doing something right here.”

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Pelicans waive Emeka Okafor

Pelicans waive Emeka Okafor

The New Orleans Pelicans requested waivers on center Emeka Okafor today.

Okafor, 6-10, 252, appeared in 26 regular season games last season with New Orleans after signing with the team on February 3, 2018 and finished the season with averages of 4.4 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.0 blocks per game.

It’s tough to say if Okafor will find his way back into the NBA. Right now he’s a longshot to make a regular season roster.

Pelicans sign Jarrett Jack

Pelicans sign Jarrett Jack

The New Orleans Pelicans have signed guard Jarrett Jack.

Jack, 6-3, 200, most recently played for the New York Knicks, appearing in 62 games last season (56 starts) while averaging 7.5 points, 5.6 assists and 3.1 rebounds in 25.0 minutes per contest.

This will be Jack’s third stint with New Orleans, as he appeared in two games with the Pelicans in 2016-17 and 115 games between 2010-12. In 117 regular season games for New Orleans, Jack has averaged 11.1 points, 4.0 assists and 2.6 rebounds in 25.1 minutes per game.

Selected 22nd overall by the Denver Nuggets in the 2005 NBA Draft out of Georgia Tech, Jack has appeared in 867 career regular season games with Portland, Toronto, New Orleans, Golden State, Cleveland, Brooklyn and New York, holding averages of 10.8 points, 4.6 assists and 2.9 rebounds in 27.8 minutes per contest.

Hawks sign Cole Aldrich

Hawks sign center Cole Alrich

Yesterday, the Atlanta Hawks signed center Cole Aldrich, presumably on a non-guaranteed deal that merely brings Aldrich to training camp.

Aldrich has played eight NBA seasons with Oklahoma City, Houston, Sacramento, New York, the LA Clippers and Minnesota, averaging 3.1 points and 3.3 rebounds in 10.0 minutes (.527 FG%, .738 FG%) in 339 career games (23 starts).

He was originally drafted by New Orleans in the first round (11th overall) of the 2010 NBA Draft, and was traded to Oklahoma City in a draft-night trade.

Aldrich attended Bloomington Jefferson High School (Bloomington, MN) before a three-year career at Kansas. He was a consensus second-team All-American following his junior season in 2010, Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year in 2009 and won a national championship with the Jayhawks in 2008.

Russell Westbrook soon to the father of twin daughters

Russell Westbrook’s wife is expecting, and the baby will be… two babies. Twin daughters! Here’s the Oklahoman with more:

In a Thunder-produced video posted Tuesday on YouTube entitled “The Westbrook Family,” Russell Westbrook and his wife, Nina Westbrook, are talking about their home life with 1-year-old son Noah, when they drop a surprise about Nina’s pregnancy.

The Westbrooks are expecting twin girls.

“If Noah gets out of hand, they’ll be able to both jump on him at the same time,” Nina said.

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New Sixers GM will be Elton Brand

Elton Brand’s name carries big weight in the playing department, but his experience as an executive is on the limited side. But everybody who gets to know Brand quickly appreciates him, and he has flown up the Philly organizational ranks. The Sixers believe in him, and are reportedly naming him their new general manager. Here’s NBC Sports Philly reporting:

New Sixers GM will reportedly be Elton Brand

The Sixers have hired Elton Brand as their general manager, sources confirmed to NBC Sports Philadelphia’s John Clark.

Per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, who first reported the news, Brand will be elevated from his previous role as vice president of basketball operations. Brand was also already on board as the Delaware Blue Coats’ general manager. The Sixers conducted an exhaustive search for a new GM after Bryan Colangelo resigned in June following his highly-publicized Twitter scandal. Brett Brown filled the role until the franchise made Brand the choice.

The search included external candidates such as Golden State Warriors assistant general manager Larry Harris, Utah Jazz assistant general manager Justin Zanik and Houston Rockets vice president Gersson Rosas.

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And here’s the Philadelphia Inquirer:

In that partnership that is now Brown and Brand, it’s still unclear who will have the final say. Brown said Tuesday that once a general manager was named, the power structure and organizational chart would also be discussed and revealed.

On Thursday, Brand will be formally introduced as Sixers general manager and at that time both will have to answer the question; Who will have the final say when it comes to decision making? Of course, ownership will always have the final say, but that usually comes in the form of green-lighting a GM’s decision.

The Sixers have created a strong front office that includes Alex Rucker (who was promoted to executive vice president of basketball operations on Tuesday), Ned Cohen, and Marc Eversley.

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On the Pelicans and their defense

Here’s The Advocate with some thoughts on the Pelicans and what makes them tick when things are going their way:

But underneath the waves of full-court sprints and lit-up scoreboards, the backbone of the Pelicans’ success was their stingy and savvy defense. Despite the onslaught of speed, they were able to stymie opposing offenses from scoring efficiently in transition, while effectively bottling up the halfcourt pick-and-roll.

From Feb. 1 onward, New Orleans allowed just 103.4 points per 100 possessions, the league’s fourth-best overall output and ranked No. 1 in defending the pick-and-roll. It allowed the Pelicans to win 20 of their final 28 games, while vaulting both Holiday and Davis to be the only teammates named first-team All-Defense selections.

Now, a week away from the opening of training camp, and with a recalibrated roster in place, the Pelicans’ mission is to re-engineer their defense to match the output generated in those final 35 games.

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