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Lakers News: LeBron James Discusses How He Felt Physically In Season Debut

Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James made his season debut in Tuesday night’s win over the Utah Jazz, becoming the first player in NBA history to play in 23 seasons.

James missed the first 14 games of the season due to a sciatica issue on his right side, but he took his time to get back to 100% and looked good in his first action of the year.

After the win, LeBron discussed how he felt physically on the court.

“Wind was a little shaky to begin,” James said. “Obviously, that was expected. As the game went on and on, my wind got a lot better, caught my second wind and caught my third wind. [My] rhythm is still coming back, obviously first game in quite a while almost seven months, so everything that happened tonight was unexpected. I think the pace versus a team like Utah, who play with a lot of pace, a lot of movement, a lot of cutting and things of that nature, tested us and tested me, obviously. I was happy the way I was able to keep up with the guys.”

James emphasized that getting into game shape is still a hurdle he needs to cross but expects to get closer and closer each game.

“My wind. My wind is important, obviously,” he added. “I mean, I don’t have to worry about chemistry-wise. We’re just a great group. Everybody enjoys being around each other, playing for one another, sacrificing for one another. So, get my wind, get my rhythm back.

“I missed a couple of chippies tonight that I’m used to making, but that will come with more games and more fun.”

James played 30 minutes against the Jazz and finished with a modest 11 points on 4-of-7 shooting to go along with three rebounds and 12 assists. The good news for him is that the Lakers don’t play again until Sunday, so the 40-year-old discussed his plan for recovery this week.

“Tomorrow’s our day off, so I’ll do a lot of rehab in the morning to keep going and a lot of recovery and things of that nature,” James said.

“Thursday’s practice, Friday’s practice, Saturday’s prior practice before we get on the flight. We will do what we need to do to keep it going and not overdo it. Obviously, we don’t want to overdo it right now, but we want to keep it going and see what happens. This doesn’t happen much when you get three or four days in between games, so we’ll take what matters. It was opening nights of sorts for you this year.”

LeBron James enjoyed being back on court with Lakers teammates​


LeBron James revealed that this is the first time he’s been hurt to begin the season, which was a challenge for him. He got past it though and enjoyed being back on the floor with his Lakers teammates.

“It was just fun to be out there with the guys,” he said. “Like I said, it’s been rough mentally for me. This is the first time I’ve started a basketball season and not played since I’ve started playing basketball at like nine years old. I’ve never missed the beginning of the basketball season. Just going through that physically, emotionally, spiritually and everything just testing me.

“Keeping my head down with the work and keeping my head up with faith, it’s gotten me to this point today. It’s just great. A lot of joy. You will probably see me smiling and talking a lot on the court today. Just being out with those guys is so fun.”

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-news-lebron-james-discusses-how-he-felt-physically-in-season-debut/
 
Jesse Buss Saw Writing On Wall But Says Jeanie Buss ‘Fired Everyone’ Within Lakers

The Los Angeles Lakers are making some significant changes to their front office as they let go of Joey and Jesse Buss, as well as a majority of their scouting staff, on Thursday morning.

When Mark Walter originally bought a majority stake in the Lakers, the plan was for Joey and Jesse to remain in their front office roles.

In an interview with Dan Woike and Sam Amick of The Athletic though, Jesse made it clear that his sister Jeanie Buss, who is still the team’s governor and will be for the foreseeable future, was involved in these firings:

“She’s fired everyone,” Jesse Buss said of Jeanie Buss’ dealings with other family members who have worked for the organization.

Jesse added that he has started to see the writing on the wall that he was being pushed out as he was dealing with some health issues:

“I kind of felt siloed quite a bit, dating back to before, I guess, the 2023 draft,” Buss said by phone. “And I kind of didn’t think much of it, but you know, as time went on and there was a lack of communication between not only my sister and I, but you know, the organization as a whole — while I was combating various health issues,” he said. “I kind of felt like the writing was on the wall.

Jesse Buss has been dealing with an unspecified illness over the past few years and is currently receiving immunotherapy treatments.

“The sale of the team happening kind of more or less just solidified it in my mind,” Buss continued. ”And I just, more or less expected it. Obviously this is, you know, a job I’ve loved for a very long time. And I love this organization. I love the fans. I love the city of Los Angeles. It’s pretty much all I’ve known my entire life.”

When the Lakers’ sale went down, reports indicated the decision wasn’t unanimous among the Buss siblings. Joey and Jesse were against the sale, and now the drama that created within the family appears to have cost them their jobs as they shift their focus to their new sports acquisition business.

Joey and Jesse Buss release statement on Lakers firing​


When Joey and Jess Buss were notified of their firing, they took time to thank the Lakers organization.

“We are extremely honored to have been part of this organization for the last 20 seasons,” they said in a statement to ESPN. “Thank you to Laker Nation for embracing our family every step of the way. We wish things could be different with the way our time ended with the team.

“At times like this we wish we could ask our Dad what he would think about it all.”

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/jesse-buss...ays-jeanie-buss-fired-everyone-within-lakers/
 
Joey & Jesse Buss Terminated From Lakers Front Office Roles

The Los Angeles Lakers is currently undergoing significant changes with Jeanie Buss and her family selling their majority ownership stake to Mark Walter, the owner of the L.A. Dodgers.

With the sale, Walter is expected to keep Jeanie on as governor for at least the next five years while he takes his time to evaluate the franchise.

It appears there are some more imminent changes happening, however, as according to Shams Charania of ESPN, Jeanie’s younger brothers Joey and Jesse Buss have been terminated from their front office roles:

The Los Angeles Lakers are reorganizing their basketball operations department and terminating executives Joey and Jesse Buss from their respective front office positions, effective immediately, the brothers told ESPN.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) November 20, 2025

Joey and Jesse issued this statement to Charania on the change:

“We are extremely honored to have been part of this organization for the last 20 seasons. Thank you to Laker Nation for embracing our family every step of the way. We wish things could be different with the way our time ended with the team. At times like this we wish we could ask our Dad what he would think about it all.”

While they will no longer be working in the front office, Joey and Jesse will keep their minority ownership shares with the team:

Joey and Jesse Buss have had key Lakers scouting roles for the last decade, helping find players such as Austin Reaves, Kyle Kuzma, Jordan Clarkson, Larry Nance Jr. and Max Christie. The brothers will maintain their minority ownership shares within the Lakers.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) November 20, 2025

This comes as a surprise as it was previously reported that Joey and Jesse would be keeping their roles in the organization. They have done an exceptional job evaluating and scouting talent over the years, so this is a significant loss for the Lakers.

When the Lakers’ sale went down, it was reported that the decision was not unanimous among the Buss siblings with it being presumed that Joey and Jesse weren’t on board.

Both brothers held a variety of roles, but most recently Joey was the Lakers’ alternate governor and vice president of research and development and Jesse was the team’s assistant general manager. It remains to be seen who will be replacing them in those roles moving forward.

Joey and Jesse Buss launch sports acquisition business​


It was recently announced that Joey and Jesse Buss were launching their own sports acquisition business, so now that they are no longer involved in the Lakers’ front office they will likely shift their focus to doing that on a full-time basis.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/joey-jesse-buss-terminated-from-lakers-front-office-roles/
 
Lakers Rumors: Joey And Jesse Buss Voted Against Sale To Mark Walter

In order for the Los Angeles Lakers to be sold to Los Angeles Dodgers owner Mark Walter, there had to be a vote by the Buss siblings and a majority would have to vote yes in order to approve the sale. While they did get the majority vote needed, it was not unanimous as there were two dissenting votes.

At the time it was unknown which two siblings voted against the sale, but now with the news of Joey and Jesse Buss being fired from their front office positions, more news is beginning to leak out. Both Joey and Jesse were important pieces within the Lakers’ scouting department and, while they will still retain their minority shares in the franchise, they will no longer work within the organization.

Exactly what led to their dismissal is unclear, but according to Shams Charania of ESPN, it was Joey and Jesse who voted against the sale of the Lakers to Walter in that vote:

“Joey and Jesse Buss interestingly were the two siblings that voted against the $10 billion sale of the Lakers to Mark Walter.”

Of course, just because they were the two who voted against the sale it does not mean that this was the reason they were fired from their front office roles. It is very possible that Walter and Jeanie Buss simply felt that a shakeup was needed in the scouting department and there were four other employees let go as well. But the optics of this are sure to raise a few eyebrows.

Scouting has been a strength of the Lakers for the past few years with the team drafting very well for the most part with the likes of Ivica Zubac, Larry Nance Jr., Josh Hart, Jordan Clarkson and Max Christie all being great finds in the late-first or early-second round of the draft, not to mention undrafted finds like Austin Reaves and Alex Caruso.

Regardless, it is Walter’s Lakers now and the franchise under his leadership made the move they felt was necessary for the betterment of this organization.

Jesse Buss feels Lakers need a new vision under Mark Walter​


There don’t seem to be any hard feelings towards Mark Walter from Jesse Buss as he spoke highly of the Lakers owner. In fact, Jesse feels the Lakers are in great hands under Walter and feels the franchise needs a new vision with him in charge now as he doesn’t believe they would see the success they are known for under the previous leadership.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-rumors-joey-and-jesse-buss-voted-against-sale-to-mark-walter/
 
Lakers Rumors: Dodgers’ Andrew Friedman & Farhan Zaidi Have Taken On Advisory Roles

The Los Angeles Lakers are officially majority-owned by Mark Walter, after the sale from the Buss family was approved by the league and finalized at the beginning of the 2025-26 season. That means it’s only a matter of time before Walter begins making structural changes to the Lakers to run them how he sees fit. And part of those changes will be bringing in some of his own people.

Jeanie Buss and Rob Pelinka are still the two — in name — at the helm of the Lakers basketball operations. They made a major change earlier this week in terminating the contracts of Joey and Jesse Buss, as well as a majority of the scouting department.

Behind the scenes, Walter has also been making some changes of his own, bringing in two familiar faces — L.A. Dodgers President of Baseball Operations Andrew Friedman and former Dodgers general manager Farhan Zaidi — in as advisors, according to Ramona Shelburne of ESPN:

Farhan Zaidi and Andrew Friedman, two key executives with the Los Angeles Dodgers, have begun playing advisory roles with theLos Angeles Lakersas part of the ownership transition from the Buss family to Mark Walter, multiple sources told ESPN.

Zaidi, currently a special adviser to the Dodgers and renowned for his analytics background, is functioning as Walter’s representative in helping with the transition, sources close to the situation said.

Friedman, who currently acts as the president of baseball operations with the Dodgers, has played a lesser role. He mostly consults with Lakers president of basketball operations, Rob Pelinka, sources said. Friedman has helped the Dodgers win three of the last six World Series.

When Walter was announced as the buyer of the majority shares of the Lakers, fans were immediately hopeful that the organization would one day operate similarly to the Dodgers. L.A. has won back-to-back World Series, showing a willingness to spend not only at the Major League level, but in all phases to build an extremely strong organizational structure.

That level of elite competency has not necessarily been shown by the Lakers over the last decade-plus, meaning Walter could usher in a new era of Lakers basketball with Luka Doncic at the helm. And bringing in Zaidi and Friedman as advisors is an incredible step towards that. According to recent reports, Friedman had already build a relationship and was consulting with Pelinka going back to the summer. And when Zaidi returned to the Dodgers organization last year, the plan was for him to help Walter with his other sports ventures, which now obviously includes the Lakers.

Those are two of baseball’s best minds when it comes to roster construction, scouting and many of the most important facets in building a sports franchise. It will be interesting to see what type of influence they have on the Lakers, especially considering they still maintain their roles with the Dodgers and that will be their first priority.

Buss family drama continues to rise in Lakers ranks​


The Lakers have not played a game since Tuesday and won’t play one again until Sunday. But that certainly hasn’t stopped them from being atop the NBA news cycle. On Thursday, it was announced that the Lakers were parting ways with Jesse and Joey Buss, as well as a majority of the franchise’s scouting team, in a move that appears to be spearheaded by Jeanie Buss with approval from Mark Walter.

It’s yet another saga in the family drama that has been the Buss family in the 12 years since Dr. Jerry Buss passed away. Jeanie notably got her brother Jim fired from his role as Vice President of Basketball Operations with the Lakers, replacing him and Mitch Kupchack with Rob Pelinka and Magic Johnson. Pelinka has stayed with the organization ever since and has been the primary basketball decision maker alongside Jeanie.

But it also appears that this firing of Jesse and Joey — who had done remarkable work leading the scouting team over the last decade-plus — was brewing for quite some time, only for Jeanie to pull the trigger on Thursday. In fact, Jeanie and Jesse haven’t been on speaking terms for quite some time now.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-rum...an-farhan-zaidi-have-taken-on-advisory-roles/
 
Lakers Video: Adou Thiero Shines In G League Debut For South Bay

The Los Angeles Lakers welcomed back 2025 second-round pick Adou Thiero to the mix last week. He had missed the first 13 games of the 2025-26 season recovering from knee surgery — a hyperextension he suffered last season — and was activated for L.A.’s win over the Milwaukee Bucks.

Thiero is not expected to be a major contributor at the NBA level this season, but his combination of athleticism, defensive prowess and finishing at the rim are all intriguing skillsets that could help him become a legitimate rotation player sooner than the average second-round pick.

But while he still gets his legs under him from all the time he missed, Thiero is going to have some runs with the South Bay Lakers in the G League. He was sent down earlier this week with the Lakers having four full days off and South Bay having a game against the Santa Cruz Warriors on Friday night.

Thiero started for South Bay in that game — alongside some other familiar names in Bronny James, Nick Smith Jr., Christian Koloko and Drew Timme — and impressed in all phases. He finished with 19 points, four rebounds and three steals on 5-of-9 shooting in only 19 minutes of action:

Adou Thiero tonight doing it all:
19 PTS | 4 REB | 1 AST | 3 STL pic.twitter.com/V6lEzo3o6P

— Laker Performances (@LALPerformance) November 22, 2025

Timme, Smith and James all had strong performances of their own as South Bay got the big win to move to 4-1 on the season. But Thiero’s was truly the standout. To lead the team in scoring despite playing less than 20 minutes — and significantly less minutes than the other double-digit scorers — shows an efficiency that he can bring when playing within his game.

The Lakers could arguably use more wing defense and more high-energy players. They have struggled in transition so far this year on both ends of the floor, and their defense looks to be about as expected, which doesn’t bode well for a deep playoff run.

While Thiero may not be a total fix, he could provide some assistance once he gets some more minutes under his belt. Over the course of the regular season, it may not be surprising to see Thiero get some meaningful run in some of these Lakers games after the way he has started the year.

JJ Redick: Lakers must clean up turnover issues​


The Lakers have gotten off to a strong start this season, due in large part to what has been a very good offense. Led by Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, the Lakers have consistently gotten excellent looks and for the most part, have executed the system designed by head coach JJ Redick and his coaching staff.

The Lakers have been extremely efficient, leading the NBA in field goal percentage and true shooting percentage while ranking second in effective field goal percentage. But despite their overall efficiency, the Lakers are just outside of the top 10 in offensive rating and Redick knows the culprit and the thing this team needs to fix most is their turnovers.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-video-adou-thiero-shines-in-g-league-debut-for-south-bay/
 
Lakers News: LeBron James Congratulates Chris Paul On Retirement Announcement

When Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James plans to retire remains a mystery, but the end is certainly nearing as he begins his 23rd season. However, he is still playing All-NBA caliber basketball and shows no signs of slowing down.

It is certainly plausible that James decides to return next season to play in his 24th year, but that decision remains far away. At this point, winning is what matters and the motivation to capture his fifth ring keeps him going at 40-years-old.

To demonstrate James’ longevity, his closest friends have essentially all retired as he continues to battle against the new generation of NBA stars. One being Chris Paul, who is calling it a career after this season and the Lakers star showed his respect on social media, via Dan Woike of The Athletic:

LeBron James salutes Chris Paul pic.twitter.com/P22L6uZdDC

— Dan Woike (@DanWoikeSports) November 22, 2025

Paul is in the midst of his 21st season with the Los Angeles Clippers, where he spent the majority of his prime. When he is officially retired, he will be a Hall of Famer and fans see him as one of the greatest playmaking point guards ever.

Along with being a 12-time All-Star, Paul is a five-time assist champion, 11-time All-NBA nominee, nine All-Defensive team selections and winning Rookie of the Year in 2005-2006. A main criticism of his career is that he never won a title, but was a part of great teams with the Clippers and Houston Rockets.

James and Paul shared numerous battles throughout their respective careers but also carry a great friendship. The Lakers and Clippers will play four times this season, so there should be a few more battles between them.

Luka Doncic: Sharing court with LeBron James on Lakers is ‘special’​


At this stage of LeBron James’ career, he is at a point where current players grew up idolizing him as they developed their love of basketball. Luka Doncic was on of those as he believed James was one of the greatest players ever and the 23-year veteran shared mutual respect back.

Fast forward and both of them are now teammates and Doncic gets to learn alongside him during the final year or years in the NBA. Despite only playing a limited amount together, the Slovenian star thinks sharing the court with James is special and hopes they can contend for a championship this season under both of their leadership.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-new...ulates-chris-paul-on-retirement-announcement/
 
Lakers News: JJ Redick Talks Evolution Of Relationship & Legacy Of Chris Paul

JJ Redick has made a seamless transition from playing 15 years in the NBA to now coaching the Los Angeles Lakers.

Despite no previous coaching experience, Redick won 50 games in his rookie season and now has the Lakers off to a good start once again.

Redick has gotten to play and coach a number of great players over the years, one of them being Chris Paul who announced he will be retiring at the end of this season.

Redick and Paul were teammates during their time with the L.A. Clippers, more known as the Lob City era with Blake Griffin and Deandre Jordan.

When asked about his thoughts on Paul’s retirement, Redick detailed what he thinks his legacy will be once he steps away from the game of basketball after this season.

“It will be whatever people decide it as,” Redick said. “I’m not going to craft a narrative, I just know him as a human being, a teammate and a brother. The arc of our relationship is very interesting from going to a decade plus of quite literally hating each other to feeling like he is a part of my family. Getting to watch him evolve as a player, as a competitor, as a leader in the later stages, particularly after I retired has actually been really fun for me. It’s rare that you see guys who have accomplished as much as he accomplished to grow in the ways that he grew, both as a player and a person. We used to talk about this on the Clippers all the time, squeezing the juice out of a possession and he was the master at that. He squeezed the juice out of every possession and that’s the micro version of him is just manipulating the game, thinking the game, squeezing the juice out of every possession. He squeezed the juice out of his career, he’s done that for over two decades and it’s remarkable for a player his size to be able to compete at that level for so long and so consistently. The game will miss him, I’ll say that. The game will miss him and I’m sure he’ll have some amazing opportunities in retirement.”

As Redick mentioned, he and Paul used not to see eye to eye and were enemies early on. The Lakers coach spoke about what led to seeing Paul in a negative light early on in his NBA career and how they great close after becoming teammates.

“My rookie year, I was in a suit and this is when we hated each other,” he continued. “And he came over during a dead ball, he was in the left corner and I was behind the bench. He was like, ‘Yeah, this is a lot different from college, isn’t it JJ?’ And I said, ‘I f—king hate that guy.’ We had our battles. When I was his teammate, what I loved the most was our non-verbal synergy. And it is hard to capture that in a single play or a single moment. But, I always talk about teams feeling like an organism that function together and when a team is really functioning together, there’s a connective tissue to that. I don’t think there was a player that I played with that I felt more of a connective tissue than Chris Paul.”

Paul had a fierce competitiveness and it showed on the court throughout his 20-plus seasons in the NBA. Even though he and Redick had their differences at first, it is great to see how their relationship has matured and grown over time.

JJ Redick challenging Austin Reaves to step up as leader​


After his long NBA career playing with some greats, JJ Redick knows what a leader looks like. With the likes of LeBron James and Luka Doncic on the roster, Redick is still challenging Austin Reaves to embrace a leadership role as he continues his positive trajectory.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-new...is-evolved-relationship-legacy-of-chris-paul/
 
Recap: Lakers Return To Action & Hang On To Beat Jazz

After a rare span on four days off, the Los Angeles Lakers were back in action on Sunday night as they traveled for a rematch with the Utah Jazz.

The Lakers beat the Jazz in L.A. earlier in the week and were looking to do so on the road with their full roster healthy and available to start. Despite the long layoff, the Lakers did indeed take care of business with a 108-106 victory to improve to 12-4 on the year.

In the second game of his 23rd season, LeBron James was looking spry early with a dunk in transition to kick things off. He then had a sweet dish to Austin Reaves for a layup before Luka Doncic started going to work.

Turnovers have been an issue for the Lakers to start the season and that continued early, although Doncic led a 10-0 run to get them back on track and L.A. led 32-30 at the end of the first.

The Jazz regained the lead to start the second, but James went into attack mode and created some easy buckets for himself and teammates. Doncic then returned and created some magic with by throwing the ball threw Kevin Love’s legs in transition and then to Jaxson Hayes for an alley-oop.

After a triple by Rui Hachimura to close the half, the Lakers took a 62-55 lead into the locker room.

Deandre Ayton was dealing with a right knee contusion and was ruled out for the night, so Jaxson Hayes started the third quarter in his place and kicked off the scoring with a three-point play. The Jazz responded with a run though as the Lakers called timeout trailing 72-68.

Doncic, James and Reaves scored all of the Lakers’ points in the final 10 minutes of the third quarter, regaining the lead at 84-81 heading into the fourth.

The Jazz continued to hang around as the Lakers found themselves in a dog fight. Doncic had enough though as he went back to work from the midrange and then from deep to extend the lead to double digits.

Utah refused to quit though as back-to-back buckets by Lauri Markkanen got their deficit down to just four in the final couple of minutes. After a miss by James, Markkanen hit another triple and all of a sudden the deficit was one.

The Lakers again didn’t score, but this time Markkanen missed despite getting a good look from midrange. It wasn’t over yet though as Doncic missed a free throw to give Utah one final look.

Keyontae George was defended well so had to force one up from the corner, but he missed and the Lakers hung on to win.

What’s next for the Lakers…​


The Lakers will now return home and wrap up Emirates NBA Cup group play on Tuesday against the Los Angeles Clippers and Friday against the Dallas Mavericks.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/recap-lakers-return-to-action-hang-on-to-beat-jazz/
 
Lakers Signing Drew Timme To Two-Way Contract & Waiving Christian Koloko

The Los Angeles Lakers haven’t done as well drafting at the top of the NBA Draft, but they’ve managed to find several gems either in the second round or in undrafted free agency.

Famous Lakers success stories include Austin Reaves, Alex Caruso and Ivica Zubac, though they can also claims wins with Max Christie, Kyle Kuzma, Larry Nance Jr. and Josh Hart. The scouting department, formerly led by Jesse Buss, deserves its credit for finding so many NBA-level players, but the organization still lacks young talent that they can confidently say is part of their long-term future.

In recent years, the Lakers have done well taking fliers on players through their G League affiliate the South Bay Lakers. Recently, Drew Timme earned G League Player of the Week in his first week with South Bay and that seemed to give the organization enough confidence to sign him to a two-way contract while waiving Christian Koloko to make space, via Shams Charania of ESPN:

The Los Angeles Lakers are signing center Drew Timme to a two-way NBA deal from their South Bay team, agents Deddrick Faison and Rich Gray tell ESPN. Timme played for the Nets to finish last season and then joined Lakers' G League, averaging 25.5 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists. pic.twitter.com/c3COTc8tl3

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) November 25, 2025

The Lakers are waiving center Christian Koloko to create roster space for Timme, sources said. https://t.co/X6LCmeXx4D

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) November 25, 2025

Waiving Koloko made the most sense as the young center failed to make a lasting impact with the Lakers despite several opportunities to do so over the last couple of seasons. At this juncture, Timme is a much more intriguing bet to be a contributor for the parent team because of his combination of size, skill and shooting.

Timme averaged 30 points, seven rebounds and 4.7 assists per game in his first week with South Bay and while he won’t be asked to produce like that for the Lakers, it speaks to his ability that he can dominate G League competition. Timme comes in more experienced than most two-way players as he spent the end of last season with the Brooklyn Nets and averaged 12.1 points and 7.2 rebounds in nine games.

As of now, head coach JJ Redick seems content with his center rotation of Deandre Ayton and Jaxson Hayes, but Timme could mix in on nights where the team is shorthanded, especially with Ayton recently suffering a knee contusion. It’s a low-risk, high-reward signing that has the potential to pay off long-term for L.A.

Because of when the Lakers are signing Timme, he will be eligible to suit up in 40 games for the Lakers and would need to be upgraded to a standard contract to play in the postseason.

Having LeBron James at practice was unbelievable experience for South Bay Lakers​


LeBron James was able to return to the Lakers lineup and part of his return-to-play process included a practice with the South Bay Lakers. South Bay head coach Zach Guthrie called it an unbelievable experience to have James practice with the G League affiliate and believes the group can learn a lot from him.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-signing-drew-timme-to-two-way-contract-waiving-christian-koloko/
 
Lakers Injury Report: Deandre Ayton Ruled Out Vs. Clippers

The Los Angeles Lakers are listing center Deandre Ayton as out for Tuesday’s Emirates NBA Cup game against the Los Angeles Clippers. Ayton left Sunday’s victory over the Utah Jazz in the second quarter with a right knee contusion and did not return.

Ayton has missed just one game so far this season and has provided everything the Lakers could have hoped for when they signed him this offseason. The big man is averaging 15.5 points and 8.4 rebounds while shooting 69.6% from the field and providing a physical presence defensively.

In his absence on Sunday, head coach JJ Redick turned to Jaxson Hayes and Maxi Kleber, both of whom provided some strong minutes. In particular, Kleber garnered a ton of praise from his teammates for his strong performance in the fourth quarter with Austin Reaves saying he was one of the Lakers’ best players on the night while Luka Doncic called it a “10 out of 10” performance from the veteran.

While the Clippers have been struggling mightily this season having lost four of their last five and 10 of their last 12 games, they do still have one of the best and most physical centers in the league in former Laker Ivica Zubac. Not having Ayton to battle down low with him will put a lot of pressure on Hayes and Kleber, though both have stepped up when called upon.

Aside from Ayton, the rest of the Lakers’ injury report is clear as the team is finally healthy for the most part. LeBron James is back and working to build up his stamina while Gabe Vincent has returned from his sprained ankle.

The Lakers and Clippers are currently tied atop West Group B in the NBA Cup standings at 2-0, though the Lakers do hold the tiebreaker due to point differential. Should the Lakers win this game they will clinch Group B and be guaranteed a spot in the knockout stage as they would then hold head-to-head victories over both the Clippers and Memphis Grizzlies.

After winning the inaugural NBA Cup, the Lakers will be looking at reclaiming their title and could take a big step in that direction with a win on Tuesday night.

LeBron James not worried about Lakers’ 3-point shooting struggles​


Something that would certainly help the Lakers pick up a victory whether Deandre Ayton plays or not is an improvement in their 3-point shooting. The Lakers are one of the worst shooting teams from deep in the league, but LeBron James isn’t concerned with that right now, feeling things will ultimately average out.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-injury-report-deandre-ayton-ruled-out-vs-clippers/
 
Lakers News: LeBron James Hopes Chris Paul Gets Happiness Out Of Final Season

Now in his 23rd NBA season and nearing 41 years old, Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James is the oldest active player in the NBA. And the second oldest player in the league is James’ good friend Chris Paul, who is also 40 years old and currently the backup point guard for the Los Angeles Clippers.

Paul recently announced that this year, his 21st in the league, would be his final one as he will be retiring at the end of the season. This of course has led to many coming out and reflecting on what has been an outstanding career that will see Paul inducted into the Hall of Fame once he is eligible.

Paul surely has some goals and ideas in mind for what he wants out of this final year, but LeBron does too. And most of all, the Lakers’ superstar simply wants Paul to get as much joy and happiness as he can out of this final run, as seen on Spectrum SportsNet:

“Happiness. Just be as happy as he possibly can. Don’t wanna look back when you’re done and be like ‘I was angry’ or ‘I didn’t take full advantage of’ your last year and things of that nature. I know he’s happy being back in L.A. with his family, seeing little CP, seeing his daughter, seeing what they’re doing I know that’s pretty special to him so I hope he can just get joy out of this final year. Like you said, we’ve known each other forever so, hell of a player, hell of a career. I could go on and on and on, but it’s awesome. He has nothing to hang his head about, he’s done pretty much everything that this league had to offer. Yeah, I just hope he just takes it all in. This is his last hoorah so we’ll never get this moment again once you’re done to be able to go out and be in an arena.”

As James noted, you never want to look back and wish you had done things differently or didn’t enjoy everything as much as you could have. This will be the last time Paul will be able to experience these things and he should really embrace these moments.

Of course, many are wondering when that final season is coming for LeBron and whether this year with the Lakers could be his last. But he has yet to reveal his intentions and with the level he continues to perform at, that final season could still be a couple years down the line.

Lakers coach JJ Redick discusses evolution of relationship with Chris Paul​


Another member of the Lakers who has a close relationship with Chris Paul is head coach JJ Redick, who was a teammate of his with the Clippers for many years. But Redick revealed the two actually hated each other when Redick first entered the league, and broke down the evolution of their relationship that now has him considering the point guard as family.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-new...hris-paul-gets-happiness-out-of-final-season/
 
Lakers Highlights: Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves & LeBron James Dominate Clippers

The Los Angeles Lakers and L.A. Clippers have fought for territory in the city for well over a decade now, and while the rivalry has died down a bit it’s still theater whenever the two teams meet.

The Lakers hosted the Clippers for an Emirates NBA Cup group play game on Tuesday night, but the implications for both teams were huge. A win for the Lakers would clinch the group, while a Clippers win would have given them a shot to clinch it for themselves. Both teams entered the primetime matchup 2-0 in group play, so the Lakers knew they’d have a fight on their hands despite the Clippers’ paltry regular season record.

As is the case in almost every game between the two L.A. squads, neither side was able to pull away. Defense was almost non-existent as the Lakers and Clippers scored almost at will so the game naturally came down to the fourth quarter.

Fortunately for the purple and gold, the “Big 3” showed up in crunch time and the Lakers went on to win 135-118. The Lakers won West Group B and advanced to the quarterfinals of the NBA Cup with the victory.

Luka Doncic was riled up from the start as he was seen barking at the Clippers bench. The chirping ignited Doncic from the get go as he caught fire from the beyond the arc. While the Clippers managed to build a lead, Doncic made sure the Lakers stayed within striking distance by hitting shot after shot.

The Clippers found ways to slow down Doncic in the second half, though the latter still found ways to affect the game as a playmaker. Overall, the Clippers simply had no answer for Doncic who turned in a massive stat line of 43 points, 13 assists and nine rebounds.

Austin Reaves sat back and watched Doncic score in the first half, but he came alive in the fourth quarter with his co-star on the bench. Like Doncic, Reaves seemed to get more into the game after having calls go against him and he made the Clippers pay with several baskets in a row.

Reaves was the perfect complementary scorer to Doncic as he poured in 31 points to go along with nine rebounds and three assists.

LeBron James rounded out the star trio’s performance with a strong showing of his own. James continues to show improvements physically as he got up and down the floor well, making plays on both ends.

James pitched in with 25 points, six rebounds and six assists.

What’s next for the Lakers​


The Lakers will host the Dallas Mavericks on Friday in their final Emirates NBA Cup group play game before seeing the New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-highlights-luka-doncic-austin-reaves-lebron-james-dominate-clippers/
 
Lakers News: Luka Doncic Willing To Pay Jaxson Hayes’ Fine For Having His Back Against Clippers

Luka Doncic led the Los Angeles Lakers to another impressive win, this time against the L.A. Clippers.

The Lakers beat the Clippers 135-118 to win West Group B and advance to the Emirates NBA Cup quarterfinals, with Doncic recording a near-triple-double of 43 points, 13 assists and nine rebounds. It was a brilliant offensive performance from Doncic, who scored 32 points in the first half before taking more of a playmaking role in the second half.

While Doncic added another strong win to his budding MVP case, the game still had its contentious moments. With the Lakers well ahead, Kris Dunn shoved Doncic, which the latter took exception to. Doncic confronted Dunn and had words for him before the Clippers guard shoved the basketball at the Lakers star.

Jaxson Hayes retaliated by shoving Dunn, which Doncic later said he appreciated and even offered to cover his teammate’s fine.

“Of course, I appreciate it,” Doncic said when asked if he’ll pay the fine. “I told him right away, thanks for having my back. That says a lot about him. That says a lot about this team. So, everybody got each other’s back.”

Luka went on to explain what happened on the play and why he took exception with Dunn.

“Well, I was waiting for the rebound. I got a cheap shot in my back. So, I’m not going to just stand. I ain’t afraid of nobody. I’m just going to stand and let it go,” Doncic added.

“The ref was right there. I don’t understand how we could have caught a foul on that one. But, you know, that’s what the game is about. Sometimes it’s going to get physical. There’s a lot of trash talking. I live for that, so I love it.”

Dunn was ejected from the game while Hayes was assessed just one technical foul, allowing the Lakers to build on their lead and never look back. Dunn was one of the few two-way bright spots on the Clippers, so his absence to close the fourth quarter was definitely felt.

Hayes and Doncic have developed a close relationship in the past calendar year, and it was good to see Hayes stick up for the Lakers star. Doncic had a real gripe with Dunn since the Clippers guard shoved him first, but the officials didn’t call a foul.

It was impressive that Luka did try to initiate some sort of altercation first given the situation, but regardless Hayes did the right thing defending his teammate. Hayes has shown he isn’t afraid to mix it up when needed, playing the enforcer role that every team needs.

Perhaps the biggest takeaway is how connected this Lakers group seems to already be. The players have openly talked about how tight-knit the locker room is, so Hayes defending Doncic seems to support that notion.

That level of chemistry and camaraderie is a key ingredient in winning teams, so it’ll be exciting to see how many more wins the Lakers can stack up.

Jaxson Hayes explains why he wants to play with Luka Doncic for Slovenia​


Jaxson Hayes and Luka Doncic have gotten so close that the big man wants to team up for Slovenia. Hayes explained he wants to play for Team USA, but because they don’t do open tryouts he’ll do whatever it takes to play on the national stage.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-new...es-fine-for-having-his-back-against-clippers/
 
Rob Pelinka Encouraged By Lakers’ Depth So Far This Season

Some felt the Los Angeles Lakers needed to make big moves in the offseason in order to become a true contender this year. However, Rob Pelinka and the front office didn’t do so, instead opting to bring in some role players whom they felt would make an impact and improve this team on the fringes.

Deandre Ayton, Marcus Smart and Jake LaRavia were the team’s free agent additions and so far, the results have been encouraging for the Lakers as they have gotten off to a 13-4 start and are tied for the second-best record in the Western Conference.

In speaking on the additions the Lakers made this summer, Pelinka discussed how important it was to add depth to the roster, and feels the results have been encouraging so far this season, via Spectrum SportsNet:

“We talked a lot about how we wanted to get younger with the roster and then more depth to your point, that was something we really focused on in July. If you look around the league at the successful teams, they’re young. Everyone’s playing fast, everyone’s playing physical. When we went out and added Deandre Ayton and Jake LaRavia and brought in Marcus Smart we really felt like that would fill out our depth and to see that happening in real time, proof of concept has been encouraging.”

Perhaps more impressive is that the Lakers have played so well despite missing star players LeBron James and Luka Doncic for many games. And Pelinka feels that stretch allowed for some players to really gain a confidence boost:

“I think we had a stretch of games without Luka and LeBron and for guys like Jake and Austin Reaves to step up, it kinda created a vibe and energy around our team where it was like different guy, different night. And early on some guys you didn’t think would have confidence early in the season emerged and got that. So in some sense the absence of a player in as big a magnitude as LeBron maybe helped some of those other guys get some early season confidence and we’re seeing that play out as well.”

The Lakers have gotten big contributions in different games from players like Dalton Knecht, Maxi Kleber and Nick Smith Jr. when called upon and that says a lot about the depth of this team. Pelinka has garnered criticism in the past, but he has done an excellent job in putting this roster together and his moves are paying off.

LeBron James believes defense will decide how great Lakers can be this year​


Whether or not the Lakers can have a real playoff run as currently constructed is unclear. But LeBron James believes that it will be the defense that decides just how great this team can be.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/rob-pelinka-encouraged-by-lakers-depth-so-far-this-season/
 
Lakers News: Austin Reaves Having Fun Playing Unselfish Basketball With Luka Doncic & LeBron James

Austin Reaves has steadily risen up the NBA ranks and should now be considered a star on a Los Angeles Lakers team that also features Luka Doncic and LeBron James.

Reaves had already taken a leap the season prior, but the 2025-26 season represents his best campaign yet as he’s been one of the best offensive players in the league by almost every metric.

The budding star guard put on a show in the Lakers’ recent win against the L.A. Clippers, dropping 31 points with most of it coming in the fourth quarter.

Doncic and James also had huge scoring nights and Reaves attributed all of their success to playing basketball the correct way.

“We just played the right way, took open shots, just stuck to schemes and got the ball where we wanted to get it and made shots,” Reaves said.

He added that the team hasn’t done anything differently since James rejoined, but are simply making the right reads on the floor.

“No, I think you just pass to the open person,” Reaves said. “Especially with LeBron and Luka, they demand such a double team a lot of the game and that means someone is gonna be open and we can play 4-on-3 basketball. I think it’s just pass it to the open person and play basketball.”

Against the Clippers, the Lakers knocked down 13 of their 29 3-point attempts and Reaves acknowledged it felt good for him and the team to finally see them go down.

“Yeah, I think so. I think that’s the third time we’ve shot over 40% from 3. It feels good.”

Reaves also emphasized how the collective unselfishness from the stars makes it a fun environment for the Lakers to play in.

“I feel great,” he said. “Me and Bron have a great friendship, me and Luka deal with each other on the court. It’s fun though. We’ve been talking about it, we’ve got three guys that can make plays and are unselfish at the same time… If you’re in the right spot, everybody should eat off that so it’s really fun.”

By the looks of it, it does feel like the Lakers’ “Big 3” is starting to gel on the floor and the role players are fitting in right behind them. There’s still a lot of regular season left to go, but the purple and gold should be taken more seriously as a contender.

JJ Redick challenging Austin Reaves to step up as a leader​


Head coach JJ Redick has done a great job of getting the most out of Austin Reaves and he’s now challenging his new star guard to step up as a leader despite LeBron James and Luka Doncoc both being on the team.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-new...ish-basketball-with-luka-doncic-lebron-james/
 
Lakers News: JJ Redick Praises Jaxson Hayes’ Growth As Playmaker

With how well Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Doncic has been playing to start the season, most teams eventually come to the same conclusion and that’s that they need to blitz him on pick-and-rolls to get the ball out of his hands.

When that happens, it creates a 4-on-3 advantage for the Lakers with the screener often needing to playmake out of the short roll. That is a tough skill to develop for most centers, but Jaxson Hayes, in particular, has made big strides in that regard.

With Deandre Ayton out of the lineup, Hayes got the start against the L.A. Clippers on Tuesday night and turned in one of his best performances of the season with eight points, four rebounds, three assists, one steal and one block.

After the dominant victory for the Lakers, head coach JJ Redick gave praise to Hayes for the growth he has shown as a playmaker.

“I thought that group to start the fourth quarter and then when Jaxson [Hayes] was out there with Luka, that execution offensively was high level,” Redick said. “Jaxson made multiple pocket decisions against the blitz. [He made] every type of read you can make, rim, corner, corner cut and slot. He threw the lob to Rui [Hachimura]. So, it just a high-level game from him.”

Hayes also discussed Doncic getting blitzed and what he is trying to accomplish when that happens.

“I just try to do my job,” he said. “When they’re in a drop I try to roll as quick as possible and get out of there and when they start blitzing Luka, I know I gotta short roll and just playmake out of there because I know most likely teams are gonna be pulling in because they don’t want me to get a free dunk so I just gotta make my reads from there and then if they’re not pulling in then I got a free dunk. If not, kick out for a 3 or a lob.”

With Ayton and Hayes, the Lakers have two big men that can not only score inside, but can also create shots for others, making the team’s offense awfully difficult to stop when everything is going right.

Luka Doncic willing to pay Lakers teammate Jaxson Hayes’ fine​


Luka Doncic got in a bit of an altercation with Kris Dunn late in the Lakers’ win over the Clippers and Jaxson Hayes stepped in and shoved Dunn to have his teammate’s back. Doncic appreciated that and even offered to pay Hayes’ fine after he was given a technical foul.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-news-jj-redick-praises-jaxson-hayes-growth-as-playmaker/
 
Mavericks Vs. Lakers Injury Report: Anthony Davis & Deandre Ayton Return, Marcus Smart Ruled Out

The Los Angeles Lakers announced that Deandre Ayton (right knee contusion) will return to action on Friday night against the Dallas Mavericks after a one-game absence. Marcus Smart (back spasms) has been ruled out after originally being listed as questionable.

On the Dallas side of things, Anthony Davis returns to the lineup after missing the last 14 games with a calf injury. This will be Davis’ first time playing against the Lakers at Crypto.com Arena since being traded for Luka Doncic last February and he is expected to play between 24 and 27 minutes, according to Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd.

The Mavericks have a back-to-back against the Lakers and L.A. Clippers on Friday and Saturday, respectively, but Davis made it clear that he preferred to return against his former team.

It remains to be seen how much Davis will be able to play after missing 14 games, but the Lakers having Ayton back in the lineup to help slow him down will be a big boost. In 15 games for the Lakers this season, Ayton has averaged 15.5 points and 8.4 rebounds while shooting 69.6% from the field.

Without Smart in the lineup, others like Gabe Vincent, Jake LaRavia and perhaps Dalton Knecht will need to step up off the Lakers’ bench.

L.A. is going for its sixth straight win and can clinch home-court advantage in the Emirates NBA Cup quarterfinals with a victory over the Mavericks.

LeBron James pleased with Lakers’ additions of Deandre Ayton, Marcus Smart and Jake LaRavia​


The Lakers are used to dealing with players going in and out of the lineup at this point and a big reason for that has been their depth. They added Deandre Ayton, Marcus Smart and Jake LaRavia this past offseason, and LeBron James was complimentary of what all three have brought to the team.

“Listen, we could sit here and talk about how unbelievable Luka and AR have been so far. It has not surprised me. Those guys are just super, ultra talented. What they bring to the game, we already know. But what I love is what DA and Jake and Marcus have brought to the team. Another level of toughness, another level of playmaking. The other night, Marcus having seven steals in a game, DA been dominant on the glass and being very efficient offensively and also before last night I think he was top 10 in defensive percentages contested at the rim. And Jake, who is number 12 is what they were saying I think in the Minnesota game, the crowd was like who is number 12 and Ant was like I don’t know. Guys know him now. I’m just proud of what the team has been doing and being able to watch from a far. It’s great, I think we have something really good going. It’s a long season obviously, we want to continue to play good basketball. That’s most important. But I like the pieces that we added.”

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/mavericks-...-deandre-ayton-return-marcus-smart-ruled-out/
 
Lakers Highlights: Austin Reaves & Luka Doncic Erupt Against Mavericks

The Los Angeles Lakers went into the final night of NBA Emirates Cup group play without much pressure as they had already clinched West Group B after their win against the L.A. Clippers.

However, the Lakers’ final group play game was far from the usual as they hosted the Dallas Mavericks. Los Angeles and Dallas will forever be linked after the blockbuster trade that included Luka Doncic and Anthony Davis. This was the first time Davis played his former team back in Los Angeles, making it an emotional affair for all the parties involved.

The Mavericks have largely struggled this season due to injuries and a lack of offensive talent, but they remain a stingy team defensively. While the Lakers were considered major favorites, they had to work on both ends for all four quarters.

Dallas didn’t give up an inch despite the talent disparity, but L.A. ultimately ended up winning 129-119. The Lakers went undefeated in group play and will now host the San Antonio Spurs in the quarterfinals of the knockout round.

Austin Reaves has taken the leap that the purple and gold were hoping for after his strong close to the 2024-25 season. Dallas was intent on ensuring that Luka Doncic didn’t get off to a hot start as they blitzed and doubled him, opening up more room for Reaves to operate in the half court.

Reaves was at his best driving with the basketball in his hands, but the guard also took advantage of all the open looks he got because of the defensive attention Doncic got. Reaves made the Mavericks pay every time they rotated away from him, knocking down 3-pointer after 3-pointer to keep the Lakers close.

Reaves continued his hot scoring in the fourth quarter as well, coming up with big buckets when the team needed it. Reaves led all scorers with 38 points but he also added eight rebounds and three assists on an efficient 12-of-15 shooting.

It took a little bit for Doncic to get going offensively, but he eventually found his groove picking on mismatches. Doncic used his size and handle to get to his spots, punishing Dallas for every mistake.

Doncic was no slouch compared to Reaves as he had 35 points including a perfect 11-of-11 showing from the free throw line. He also recorded 11 assists and four rebounds.

Deandre Ayton returned to the lineup and was efficient, scoring 17 points on eight-of-nine shooting from the field.

What’s next for the Lakers​


The Lakers host the New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday before they see the Phoenix Suns the next night on Monday in a back-to-back set at home.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-highlights-austin-reaves-luka-doncic-erupt-against-mavericks/
 
Emirates NBA Cup Knockout Round Bracket Set As Lakers Host Spurs In Quarterfinals

The Los Angeles Lakers finished group play of the Emirates NBA Cup on a high note, beating the Dallas Mavericks 129-119.

The Lakers had already clinched West Group B with their win against the L.A. Clippers earlier in the week, but their win against the Mavericks locked them into the No. 2 seed of the West bracket of the Knockout Rounds. Both the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Lakers finished with perfect 4-0 records, but the former snagged the No. 1 seed by virtue of their +75 point differential.

With group play over, the knockout round is scheduled to start in December. The Thunder will host the Phoenix Suns, who claimed the Wild Card spot, while the Lakers will host the San Antonio Spurs. Both the Suns and Spurs finished with 3-1 records and will be tough outs.

In the East bracket, the Orlando Magic and Toronto Raptors won their respective groups with perfect 4-0 records, while the New York Knicks and Miami Heat will join them in the next round. The Magic earned the No. 1 seed and will host the Heat while the Raptors enter as the No. 2 seed and will host the Knicks.

For Los Angeles, they might catch a break hosting San Antonio as Victory Wembanyama has been out of the lineup due to a calf injury. While the Spurs have managed well enough in his absence, the Lakers would figure to be favored if the superstar big man is unable to return. Meanwhile, Oklahoma City will be massive favorites to win out against Phoenix due to their collective star power and defense.

In the East, Orlando has been surging though Miami shouldn’t be counted out after Tyler Herro returned. Lastly, Toronto’s been the surprise of the Eastern Conference and has a good chance of advancing despite New York’s experience.

The Emirates NBA Cup should be considered a success as teams have taken a liking to the extra competition. The prize money for each player also doesn’t hurt, but the biggest takeaway is that fans are resonating with the event and it should be exciting to see all eight teams face off once the knockout rounds begin.

The quarterfinals will be played in home arenas on Dec. 9 and 10 before the tournament shifts to Las Vegas for the semifinals and finals on Dec. 13 and 15, respectively. Considering the Lakers’ NBA Cup court was slippery and they didn’t use it on Friday against the Mavericks, it will be interesting to see if it’s ready to go by Dec. 10 or if they again use their normal court.

Emirates NBA Cup Knockout Round bracket​

Eastern Conference Bracket​


(4) Miami Heat vs. (1) Orlando Magic, Tuesday Dec. 9, 3 p.m. PT
(3) New York Knicks vs. (2) Toronto Raptors, Tuesday Dec. 9, 5:30 p.m. PT

Western Conference Bracket​


(4) Phoenix Suns vs. (1) Oklahoma City Thunder, Wednesday Dec. 10, 4:30 p.m. PT
(3) San Antonio Spurs. (2) Los Angeles Lakers, Wednesday, Dec. 10, 7 p.m. PT

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/emirates-n...et-set-as-lakers-host-spurs-in-quarterfinals/
 
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