RSS Lakers Team Notes

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Lakers Rumors: Adou Thiero Participates In First Full-Contact Stay-Ready Game

The Los Angeles Lakers used their lone draft pick in 2025 on promising wing Adou Thiero out of Arkansas. Thiero is known to be an excellent athlete and relentless defender with some offensive potential should he develop properly. Unfortunately for Thiero, injuries have limited his ability to make an impact in his rookie season.

A knee issue dating back to his time at Arkansas delayed his initial debut for the Lakers while a sprained MCL has kept him out since Dec. 30. But now it looks as if Thiero is progressing well and could be nearing a return for the team.

According to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, the Lakers have assigned Thiero to the South Bay Lakers of the G League with the rookie having recently participated in his first full-contact stay ready game:

The Lakers have assigned Dalton Knecht and Adou Thiero to South Bay for today’s practice, the team announced. Thiero, out since Dec. 30 with a sprained right MCL, participated in his first full-contact stay ready game since the injury earlier this week, sources told ESPN

— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) February 8, 2026

This is great news for Thiero as he has been unable to make the impact he would have liked in his first NBA season, but should be able to suit up once again soon. Whether he will be able to crack head coach JJ Redick’s rotation is unclear, especially after the addition of Luke Kennard, but Thiero’s potential as a defender is at least a good option to have for L.A. in the latter stretch of the regular season.

The most important thing is for Thiero to be completely recovered from this knee issue. Particularly for an athlete of his caliber, lingering knee issues can be scary so he and the training staff must do everything in their power to ensure those problems are behind him.

Thiero has appeared in just 15 games for the Lakers this season, mostly in garbage time, though he did acquit himself well in a couple of G League appearances earlier this season. In three games for South Bay, Thiero averaged 15.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 2.0 steals in just 20.3 minutes per contest.

JJ Redick applauds Luke Kennard’s ability to make reads in Lakers debut​

While Adou Thiero is known for his defense, Luke Kennard is on the opposite end as one of the best 3-point shooters in the NBA today. And in his Lakers debut he showed some other facets of his game, particularly his ability to make reads which stood out to head coach JJ Redick.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-rum...ipates-in-first-full-contact-stay-ready-game/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

JJ Redick Liked Lakers’ Effort But Lamented Execution In Loss To Thunder

Although the All-Star break is nearly here, the Los Angeles Lakers face a tough set of games before earning some much-needed rest.

The Lakers kicked off the final week of games before the break against the defending champions the Oklahoma City Thunder. Both teams were missing their MVP candidates as Los Angeles ruled out Luka Doncic with a hamstring strain while Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was out due to an abdominal injury. Still, the game featured plenty of star power behind LeBron James, Austin Reaves, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren.

Even without Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City is a dangerous team on both sides of the basketball but Los Angeles did well to keep pace throughout the night. Unfortunately, their fourth quarter performance wasn’t enough and they wound up losing 119-110.

Following the loss, head coach JJ Redick praise his team’s effort but in turn was critical of how they executed.

“I would say it’s a couple things just throughout the game and really like the key points of the game. Us going up eight and then, down the stretch, I think when you play the best teams [like] in Oklahoma City, clearly they’re the best team and you have to have a really high level of effort,” Redick said.

“You have to have a really high level of execution. So, it’s gotta be both. I thought for the most part, I thought our effort was fantastic. And in the key stretch of the game, our execution wasn’t great. A lot of that for me tonight was just defensively our shell principles, like basic shell principles. You know the three, the Jalen Williams three, his man was not supposed to help. That was an over help and that was in our shell principles. And then, down the stretch in, at times to start the fourth, I didn’t think we did a good job of getting LeBron [James] the ball. And some of that was, we called plays, and we didn’t execute. Some of that was just not having just the recognition. Him playing against smaller players was how we got back in the game and we didn’t do a good job of getting [him] the ball.”

The Thunder won last year’s championship behind an explosive offense coupled with a shutdown defense, and they’ve been nearly just as good during the 2025-26 season. Oklahoma City is also brimming with young talent, so Los Angeles needed to play a near-perfect game in order to knock off the title favorites.

The bright side to the loss is that the Lakers legitimately had a chance to steal a win in the second half. Los Angeles went into halftime trailing by nine points, but took the lead in the second half before their offense sputtered out.

Redick pointed out that the team didn’t do well getting the basketball to LeBron James, who led their comeback effort. James was able generate quality looks for himself and teammates, but the Lakers seemed to go away from him once the Thunder sent extra defensive help.

This is a good learning experience for the Lakers as they can hang with any team when they’re playing with the right effort level. If they can clean up things on the execution side, then they should be a dangerous team come playoff time.

Rob Pelinka: Lakers were aggressive at trade deadline​

The Lakers traded for Luka Kennard at the trade deadline, but that was their only move despite clamoring for them to make more moves. President of basketball operations and general manager Rob Pelinka explained that the front office was aggressive at the trade deadline but preferred to have optionality going into the summer.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/jj-redick-liked-lakers-effort-but-lamented-execution-in-loss-to-thunder/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Lakers Injury Report: Luka Doncic, LeBron James, Austin Reaves, Marcus Smart Out Vs. Spurs

The Los Angeles Lakers released their injury report for Tuesday’s game against the San Antonio Spurs and Luka Doncic (left hamstring strain), LeBron James (left foot arthritis), Austin Reaves (left calf injury management) and Marcus Smart (right ankle soreness) are all listed as out.

Additionally, Deandre Ayton (right knee soreness) is questionable and Adou Thiero (right MCL sprain) has been upgraded to available for the first time since the end of December.

With it being the second night of a back-to-back, the Lakers are being cautious with all of their key players and sitting them out in order to get healthy. This is the Lakers’ second-to-last game before the All-Star break.

Doncic suffered his injury in the second quarter of last week’s win over the Philadelphia 76ers and has missed the last two games with the Lakers splitting them, beating the Golden State Warriors and then losing to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

After the game against the Spurs, the Lakers will close out the first half of the season on Thursday against the Dallas Mavericks. Doncic will obviously want to play against his former team, but it doesn’t make sense to push him if the hamstring is still bothering him. The same could be said for NBA All-Star Weekend, where Doncic was named a starter.

As far as the other injured players go, there’s no reason to believe it is anything serious as they all played on Monday. In their absence though, other players like Thiero, Kobe Bufkin, Luke Kennard, Jaxson Hayes, Rui Hachimura and Jarred Vanderbilt will see increased opportunities.

This will mark James’ 18th missed game of the season, which means he is longer qualified for regular-season awards like All-NBA.

Austin Reaves: Lakers need Luka Doncic​

It’s been a rough year for the Lakers due to injuries as LeBron James, Austin Reaves, Luka Doncic and others have all missed time. Reaves just got back to put the Lakers at full strength really for the first time, but now Doncic has missed time with this hamstring injury.

You have to be cautious with hamstring injuries, but Reaves is hoping his backcourt mate will be back in the lineup soon.

“I talked to (Doncic) a little bit at halftime, asked if he was OK, and he kind of just looked at me,” Reaves said. “Hopefully it’s nothing major. We need him. He’s our best player and the engine of a lot of stuff that we do. Hopefully it’ll be good news tomorrow.”

If Doncic doesn’t make enough progress before Thursday’s game, then he would get a week off for the All-Star break to get his hamstring back to 100%.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-inj...ames-austin-reaves-marcus-smart-out-vs-spurs/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Lakers Rumors: Luke Doncic Part Of Ownership Group Purchasing Italian Basketball Team

Over a year after his emotional trade from the Dallas Mavericks, Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Doncic believes he is finally in a great place.

Doncic’s surprising trade sent shockwaves throughout the NBA as it rapidly changed the Lakers’ fortunes, giving the purple and gold the perfect successor to LeBron James.

On the basketball court, there’s nothing Luka can’t do as he can score and pass on any defense. Off the court, however, the 26-year-old’s portfolio and brand continues to grow as he dives into new partnerships and ventures.

It seems Doncic has professional sports team owner on his list of things to check off as he’s reportedly part of an investor group that is set to purchase an Italian basketball team, via Joe Vardon, Sam Amick and Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic:

Lakers star Luka Doncic is part of an investor group headed by former Dallas Mavericks general manager Donnie Nelson that is seeking to bring a team to Rome as part of NBA Europe, three sources told The Athletic.

Nelson, 63, the son of legendary former NBA coach and executive Don Nelson, has a preliminary agreement in place to purchase an existing basketball team from northern Italy, Vanoli Basket Cremona, to potentially set up a much larger play of entering a team into NBA commissioner Adam Silver’s new European league.

Doncic, 26, whom Nelson acquired in a draft-night trade with the Atlanta Hawks 2018, is part of his group of investors, sources in American and European basketball with knowledge of Nelson’s plans told The Athletic. While the Milan-based sports publication La Gazzetta Dello Sport reported that Dirk Nowitzki was also a part of Nelson’s group, his spokesman, Scott Tomlin, said that was not the case. According to one of the sources, Rimas Kaukenas, a Lithuanian legend as a player who was a longtime star in Italy, is also part of the group.

Doncic was born in Slovenia, so his interest in potentially owning a team in NBA Europe makes complete sense. The game of basketball continues to grow internationally and this move signals that the league is about to become even more global.

JJ Redick reflects on Luka Doncic trade one year later​

Lakers head coach JJ Redick has to feel blessed that he gets to coach someone like Luka Doncic. The Doncic trade was so shocking that Redick remembered exactly what he was doing when he found out and later reflected on what it was like to hold onto that news.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-rum...hip-group-purchasing-italian-basketball-team/

 

[Zedster]

Good to see the Lakers making some moves at the deadline. Kennard is exactly the type of player LeBron needs around him - elite shooting opens up so much for the offense. That 50% from three is ridiculous. His playmaking getting some love from both LeBron and Redick is encouraging too, shows he's not just a one-dimensional guy standing in corners.

The Thiero news is promising. Knee injuries are always a bit worrying, especially for someone who relies on his athleticism as much as he does. Smart to take it slow with him. If he can get healthy and carve out even a small defensive role down the stretch, that's a nice piece to have.

Rough timing with all the injuries hitting at once though. Doncic, LeBron, Reaves, and Smart all out against the Spurs is tough. At least it's right before the break so everyone can rest up. The fact that they haven't really had their full lineup together for extended stretches this season makes it hard to judge what this team actually is when healthy.

The Doncic ownership group thing is interesting. Makes sense given his European roots. NBA Europe could be a big deal if it actually gets off the ground.

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Lakers Injury Report: Luka Doncic Out, Deandre Ayton Questionable Vs. Mavericks

The Los Angeles Lakers released their injury report for Thursday’s game against the Dallas Mavericks and Luka Doncic (left hamstring strain) is out while Deandre Ayton (right knee soreness) is questionable.

LeBron James, Austin Reaves and Marcus Smart are all not on the injury report so will be good to go after sitting out Tuesday’s game against the San Antonio Spurs in the second night of a back-to-back.

This is the Lakers’ final game before the All-Star break, so they will continue to be cautious with Doncic, who has missed the last three games with the hamstring injury. With Doncic not suit up against his former team, he could get eight more days to rest before the Lakers take the court again to begin the second half.

Doncic did make the All-Star team and according to Dave McMenamin of ESPN, he is still hoping to play if he feels healthy enough:

Luka Doncic (hamstring strain) will not play against Dallas on Thursday, missing his fourth straight game, sources told ESPN. He is still progressing in his rehab and hopes to be able to make an appearance in Sunday’s All-Star game for the World Team, sources said.

— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) February 12, 2026

With the Lakers in a tight playoff race, hopefully Doncic will prioritize getting healthy for the second half. If he does play in the All-Star Game though, it likely would only be a handful of minutes for the World team.

The Lakers are hoping to head into the All-Star break on a high note against the Mavericks after dropping their last two games. With some key players potentially out of the lineup in Doncic and Ayton, others will need to step up to make up for that absence, which has been the case for L.A. all year long.

Doncic has played extremely well against the Mavericks since they traded him last year, averaging 33 points, nine rebounds and 10 assists in fourth games.

JJ Redick: Lakers happy to sign Kobe Bufkin​

One player who will see extended minutes whenever key Lakers players are out is Kobe Bufkin, who recently signed a two-year contract with the team after thriving in the G League.

JJ Redick recently spoke about why the Lakers decided to sign Bufkin instead of a buyout player and how happy they are to have him.

“There’s a lot of factors that go into that, you know, the buyout market, I’ll just be frank because I did this when I was working in media, very rarely produces a player that impacts a team’s playoff chances. It just — it very rarely does,” Redick said. “The second part of that is you gotta make sure if you get a buyout player, you gotta make sure that guy is healthy, ready to play. Kobe has certainly earned a spot in the NBA with the way he’s played this year for us in South Bay. There’s also factors of are we going to be able to keep him in our program? So there’s a lot that went into it. We feel really happy that we got him on a roster spot.”

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-inj...-out-deandre-ayton-questionable-vs-mavericks/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Lakers News: Drew Timme Put In A Lot Of Work To Improve 3-Pointer Shot

One of the more surprising developments of this season for the Los Angeles Lakers has been the emergence of big man Drew Timme, who earned a two-way contract with the team after some excellent play for the South Bay Lakers in the G League.

And any time Timme has been given some minutes, he has handled himself well, including his 14-point night in the Lakers’ loss against the San Antonio Spurs.

One interesting wrinkle for Timme has been the development of his 3-point shot as he attempted just 72 in his entire four-year college career at Gonzaga, knocking down only 25%. But he is shooting 41.2% from deep so far this year and he credited many for his improvement, including the Lakers staff from head coach JJ Redick on down.

“I mean I’ve been working so hard on that for the past six years,” Timme said. “[I’m] really trying to add that to my game, and it’s been with a lot of people I’ve been working with, especially my high school coach, Coach Johnson. That dude’s got a lot of cardio with me, chasing after all my missed shots. But it’s something you have to have in today’s game, and it’s something that I’ve really been working at.

“I feel like I’ve been shooting the ball pretty well lately. I just continue to get that confidence, and it helps. When you look to the bench and JJ and the coaches are encouraging you to shoot it, and then when I’m in South Bay, Zach [Guthrie] and them are really encouraging me to keep shooting it. It makes it easier to work on something when the guys you look to are giving you confidence and encouragement. I think that’s been a huge part because if you don’t believe it’s gonna go in, it’s definitely not going in. Those guys help give me the confidence to keep shooting it.”

Timme also thanked his coaches for finding new and different shooting drills in order to keep him engaged.

“I’m one of those guys where I can’t do one drill a lot, so I drive my coach crazy,” Timme added. “But we have to find lots of different drills and lots of different challenges and stuff. It’s just anything and everything. We’re just looking up stuff to work on, different shooting drills. So it’s a lot of variety. I’m a bit of a space cadet sometimes so I gotta stay engaged and have different stuff to do and that’s why it’s so fun.”

As a freshman at Gonzaga, Timme took just three 3-pointers, and went on to become an All-American in subsequent years despite his lack of outside shooting. But the big man understood that he would have to evolve his game if he wanted to play at this level.

“I bet two of them were half-court heaves (laughs),” Timme responded when asked about his lack of 3-pointers as a freshman. “Honestly, yes and no. At the time, no. But the more the league started to change, obviously it’s adapt or die. It’s Darwinism. If you want something and you want to get to this level, you have to do whatever the trend of the game is. And the trend was obviously like more and more 3s. It was hard in college. Obviously I’d work on it, but it’s hard when you’re so good at scoring in the post and everything and creating out of there. It’s hard when you’re trying to win to work on your game as well.

“But just taking the time in the offseason to really work on it and dial in on it. Just playing a bunch of pickup and being comfortable being uncomfortable. One of the dudes on the Spurs staff, Tim Martin, used to be my trainer too back in the day and I was talking to him for a while and he’s like man, it’s so cool to see how far you’ve come with your shot. It’s been a lot of tinkering and changes with it, but it’s in a good spot right now I just gotta continue to stay with it.”

It is that mindset and willingness to put in the work that has led Timme to this point in his career and will continue to serve him well as he tries to continue cementing himself as an NBA player.

Adou Thiero felt ‘back to normal’ in return for Lakers​

Lakers rookie Adou Thiero made his return from injury in the team’s loss to the Spurs and he says he felt normal in his first game back in over a month.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-news-drew-timme-put-in-a-lot-of-work-to-improve-3-pointer-shot/

 

[JJ]

Man the Lakers injury situation is BRUTAL right now. Four starters out against the Spurs?? That's basically asking the G League squad to step up and carry the load. At least it's right before All-Star break so these guys can actually rest up.

Gotta say though, I'm not loving the idea of Doncic even THINKING about playing in the All-Star game. Dude, you got a hamstring strain - those things are NOTORIOUS for lingering if you don't let them fully heal. Take the 8 days off, come back fresh for the second half push. The All-Star game is meaningless exhibition basketball. Nobody needs to see you play 10 minutes in a game that doesn't count when you could be getting right for an actual playoff push.

The Timme development is actually pretty cool to see. Guy went from basically a non-shooter at Gonzaga to hitting 41% from three in the league? That's some serious work ethic right there. Love hearing him talk about being "comfortable being uncomfortable" - that's the mentality you need to stick around in this league. The modern NBA has zero room for bigs who can't space the floor at least a little bit.

And yeah the ownership group thing with Doncic is interesting. NBA Europe could be huge if Silver actually gets it off the ground. Makes total sense for a Slovenian guy to want a piece of that action. Smart business move honestly.

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Lakers Injury Update: Luka Doncic Should Be ‘Good To Go’ After All-Star Break

Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Doncic missed the last four games before the All-Star break due to a left hamstring strain.

The strain was considered to be mild and it looked like Doncic might’ve been able to return in the final game before the break against his former team the Dallas Mavericks. The Lakers ultimately ruled him out though, which made sense considering the team will not get eight days off before opening up the second half.

Before the Mavericks game, Lakers head coach JJ Redick said the team was expressing caution with their superstar and Luka is expected to be back in the lineup next Friday against the L.A. Clippers.

“Really good. He’s progressed really good,” Redick said. “I think part of him wanted to push to get back prior to the break but we’ve gotta be cautious with soft tissues injuries. Obviously we were very cautious with Austin and you just saw what happened with Jalen Williams coming back. So we all feel comfortable with the decision to hold him out and he should be good to go post All-Star.”

Doncic was named an All-Star and recent reports have indicated he is hoping to play in Sunday’s exhibition game despite sitting out the Lakers’ last four games. When asked about it, Redick said that decision is not his.

“That’s above my pay grade,” the head coach said.

Doncic was seen getting a workout in before the Mavericks game and appeared to be moving well.

Luka is still out tonight, but good to see him moving around well in a pregame workout. pic.twitter.com/hZrdovIR8C

— Lakers Nation (@LakersNation) February 13, 2026

The Lakers are in a tight postseason race, so it is good to see that Doncic is making progress and should be ready to go after the break. It will be interesting to see if he suits up in the All-Star Game though as if he doesn’t, he would get eight straight days to rest his hamstring and be ready for the second half of the season. If he does play in the All-Star Game, it likely would be limited minutes.

Luka Doncic on World Team in 2026 NBA All-Star Game​

Luka Doncic was the leading vote getter for the 2026 NBA All-Star Game and was named to the World Team as the league is changing the format this year. If he suits up, he will play alongside Nikola Jokic, Victor Wembanyama, Jamal Murray, and Pascal Siakam, among others.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-injury-update-luka-doncic-should-be-good-to-go-after-all-star-break/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

2026 NBA All-Star Saturday: Dunk Contest, 3-Point Contest, Shooting Stars Participants

NBA All-Star Weekend is nearly upon us and this year’s event will feature some changes from prior years. Most notable is the change in the All-Star Game format with the league introducing a USA vs. the World dynamic featuring three teams, two with USA-born players and the third with international players.

The three teams will face off in a round-robin tournament with each squad playing each other once in a 12-minute game. After those three games take place, the two teams with the best record will face off in one final contest to crown the All-Star Game champions. The All-Star Game takes place on Sunday beginning at 2 p.m. PT and will air on NBC and Peacock.

Los Angeles Lakers superstar Luka Doncic was the leading vote-getter amongst all players and will lead the World team, while LeBron James was named to his 22nd consecutive All-Star Game appearance and is part of the USA Stripes roster.

Prior to the All-Star Game itself, All-Star Weekend kicks off on Friday with the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game, taking place at the Kia Forum at 4 p.m. PT. That will be followed by the Castrol Rising Stars, which begins at 6 p.m. PT at the Intuit Dome where the majority of All-Star festivities will take place and will stream on Peacock.

NBA All-Star Saturday Night will air on Peacock and NBC and begins at 2 p.m. PT at the Intuit Dome. This will feature the State Farm 3-point Contest, the AT&T Slam Dunk and the return of the Kia Shooting Stars contest, which replaces the Skills competition.

State Farm 3-point Contest​

The State Farm 3-point contest has a star-studded field featuring numerous current and former All-Stars. Last year’s winner, Tyler Herro will not be defending his crown, but two former champions are participating led by the surprising inclusion of former two-time champ Damian Lillard who won’t play this season due to a torn Achilles, but will still take part in this contest.

Donovan Mitchell will also be participating and would become the first player in NBA history to win the Slam Dunk and 3-point championships if he were to come out on top.

Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns
Kon Knueppel, Charlotte Hornets
Damian Lillard, Portland Trail Blazers
Tyrese Maxey, Philadelphia 76ers
Donovan Mitchell, Cleveland Cavaliers
Jamal Murray, Denver Nuggets
Bobby Portis, Milwaukee Bucks
Norman Powell, Miami Heat

Kia Shooting Stars​

The Kia Shooting stars makes its return for the first time since 2015 when Chris Bosh, Swin Cash and Dominique Wilkins won their third consecutive title. This year’s version will feature current NBA players and legends, but not WNBA players as had been the case in previous editions.

Team All-Star: Chet Holmgren, Scottie Barnes, Richard Hamilton
Team Cameron: Kon Knueppel, Jalen Johnson, Corey Maggette
Team Harper: Dylan Harper, Ron Harper Jr., Ron Harper Sr.
Team Knicks: Karl-Anthony Towns, Jalen Brunson, Allan Houston

AT&T Slam Dunk​

The 2026 AT&T Slam Dunk will crown a new champion as three-time winner Mac McClung will not be defending his title this year. This year’s field is a group of young players looking to make a name for themselves and also features the only participant from a Los Angeles team on All-Star Saturday night.

Carter Bryant, San Antonio Spurs
Jaxson Hayes, Los Angeles Lakers
Keshad Johnson, Miami Heat
Jase Richardson, Orlando Magic

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/2026-nba-a...-3-point-contest-shooting-stars-participants/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Lakers Rumors: Luka Doncic Expected To Play In 2026 NBA All-Star Game

The Los Angeles Lakers entered the All-Star break on a winning note as they took down the Dallas Mavericks 124-104. Luka Doncic didn’t suit up against his former team as he missed his fourth consecutive game due to a hamstring injury.

Doncic was seen working out before the contest, which would indicate that he is close to returning for the Lakers. Head coach JJ Redick even said that Luka should be good to go once the team returns from the All-Star break, but it was unclear what that would mean for the All-Star Game itself.

Doncic was the leading vote-getter amongst all players and with the game being held in L.A. there will certainly be a large contingent of fans who would love to see him in action. And despite his recent injury, Doncic is expected to play in a limited capacity, per NBA insider Marc Stein:

The Lakers’ Luka Dončić is indeed on course to play for a short stint in Sunday’s All-Star Game after a strong pregame workout Thursday, league sources tell @TheSteinLine. pic.twitter.com/nUvNyyN8Gf

— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) February 13, 2026

As Stein reported, it can be expected that while Doncic will suit up and play in the All-Star Game, his time on the court will be limited. A soft tissue injury like a hamstring strain Luka is dealing with is something that must be handled carefully and the Lakers have been extremely cautious in bringing him back. So there is no way Doncic or the team will risk his availability for the home stretch of the regular season by having him play too much in the All-Star Game.

Luka making an appearance and getting a few minutes on the court for the World team should be more than enough and then he can continue to ramp himself up and be ready to go when the Lakers are back on the court and ready to make their push towards the playoffs.

This year will be the first time the All-Star Game will have a USA vs. the World format with the game itself taking place at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood.

2026 NBA All-Star Game rosters​

USA Stars

Scottie Barnes, Toronto Raptors
Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns
Cade Cunningham, Detroit Pistons
Jalen Duren, Detroit Pistons
Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves
Chet Holmgren, Oklahoma City Thunder
Jalen Johnson, Atlanta Hawks
Tyrese Maxey, Philadelphia 76ers

USA Stripes

Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics
Jalen Brunson, New York Knicks
Kevin Durant, Houston Rockets
Brandon Ingram, Toronto Raptors
LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers
Kawhi Leonard, Los Angeles Clippers
Donovan Mitchell, Cleveland Cavaliers
De’Aaron Fox, San Antonio Spurs
Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors (Injured)

Team World

Deni Avdija, Portland Trail Blazers
Luka Doncic, Los Angeles Lakers
Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets
Jamal Murray, Denver Nuggets
Norman Powell, Miami Heat
Alperen Sengun, Houston Rockets
Pascal Siakam, Indiana Pacers
Karl-Anthony Towns, New York Knicks
Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder (Injured)
Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks (Injured)

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-rumors-luka-doncic-expected-to-play-in-2026-nba-all-star-game/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Lakers Video: Nike Honors Kobe Bryant In New Commercial Ahead Of NBA All-Star Weekend

The Los Angeles Clippers might be hosting NBA All-Star Weekend with most of the events taking place at the Intuit Dome, but the city of Los Angeles will always be a town dedicated to the Los Angeles Lakers. And nobody represents that more than the iconic Kobe Bryant.

Even though it has now been more than six years since his tragic passing, the legend of Kobe continues to live strong throughout L.A. with many murals dedicated to him around the city, not to mention the multiple statues in front of Crypto.com Arena. And All-Star Weekend has always been something special to Bryant as well, and with it now upon us, Nike has channeled the Lakers legend for their latest ad.

With All-Star Weekend set to get underway, Nike released a new commercial honoring Bryant, via House of Heat:

“Welcome to the City of Champions”

@nikebasketball honors Kobe in the brand’s latest campaign pic.twitter.com/U55WrczKmt

— House of Heat° (@houseofheat) February 13, 2026

The ad is a short but powerful one featuring the top of SoFi Stadium being illuminated with the famous picture of Kobe holding the Larry O’Brien Trophy after the Lakers won the 2001 NBA Championship. That is followed by a famous Bryant quote: “You get out of L.A. what you put into it” which then turns into the Mamba logo all while fans chant “Kobe” in the background.

Nike releasing this at this time makes sense as Kobe is synonymous with the All-Star Game. As the league struggles to figure out how to make the game more competitive and get players to care about it more, Kobe was someone who always pushed for players to compete hard during the contest. The league even named the All-Star Game MVP award after him and his 18 All-Star Game appearances trail only fellow Laker legends LeBron James and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

This year’s contest will feature a USA vs. the World format for the first time with James and Luka Doncic representing the Lakers. But no matter what the format is, if the players are pushing each other and truly competing, Kobe will be smiling.

Lakers release “Iconic Los Angeles” short film ahead of All-Star Weekend​

The Lakers themselves have also put together something ahead of NBA All-Star Weekend in Los Angeles, releasing a short film entitled “Iconic Los Angeles” highlighting the connection between the franchise and the city of L.A.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-vid...new-commercial-ahead-of-nba-all-star-weekend/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Lakers Highlights: Jaxson Hayes Fails To Advance To Find Round In NBA Slam Dunk Contest

NBA All-Star Weekend took place at Intuit Dome in Inglewood this year, making it special for the Los Angeles Lakers players involved even though it was the L.A. Clippers technically hosting the events.

The Lakers had two players make the All-Star team this year in Luka Doncic and LeBron James, and Jaxson Hayes was also on hand to compete in the NBA Slam Dunk Contest.

Hayes has thrown down some nasty dunks in his three seasons with the Lakers, and now he got the opportunity to do it on the biggest stage in the Dunk Contest for the first time.

He was competing against Carter Bryant of the San Antonio Spurs, Jase Richardson of the Orlando Magic and Keshad Johnson of the Miami Heat, while the judges were Brent Barry, Dwight Howard, Nate Robinson and Dominique Wilkins.

Hayes went last in the first round and appeared to attempt to dunk while jumping from the free throw line. He wound up being a step in front though, so he only got a 44.6 score from the judges, which ranked fourth.

Jaxson Hayes’ intro and first dunk, which he received a 44.6 for: pic.twitter.com/oBmEW571Gi

— Lakers Nation (@LakersNation) February 15, 2026

Since he ranked fourth after the first round of dunks, Hayes kicked off the second round with a familiar through-the-legs dunk on a pass from himself:

Jaxson Hayes went through the legs on his second attempt and was given a score of 47.2. pic.twitter.com/RpWQ0zXHmf

— Lakers Nation (@LakersNation) February 15, 2026

Hayes recently did a similar Eastbay dunk in a game and missed on the first attempt in this one, which took a little of the flare away even though he still received a solid score.

Ultimately, Hayes was not in the top two, so he was eliminated before the final round. Hayes had a 91.8 combined score in the first two rounds, ahead of Jase Richardson (88.8) but behind Bryant (94.8) and Johnson (92.8).

Both Bryant and Johnson put on a show with their first dunks in the final round, but Bryant screwed up his second, allowing Johnson to take home the title.

Jaxson Hayes always dreamed of competing in Slam Dunk Contest​

Before competing in the event for the first time, Jaxson Hayes discussed what it meant to him to be in the NBA Slam Dunk Contest.

“It would be really special if it was in Cleveland or Indiana, that’s close to my family,” the Lakers center admitted. “But for me, I’ve always dreamed on being in the Dunk Contest, it’s just something you do as a kid. Obviously making it to the NBA and being an All-Star, stuff like that (is what you dream of), but for me, I was always big into the Dunk Contest, if you guys can’t tell by the way I play. So yeah, just excited. When I got that call, I was definitely down.”

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-hig...vance-to-find-round-in-nba-slam-dunk-contest/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Lakers News: Victor Wembanyama Hoping To Pick Brain Of LeBron James

Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James has been the face of the NBA for the last two decades and despite being 41 years of age, he is showing no signs of slowing down.

James was named an NBA All-Star for a record 22nd time despite missing the first 14 games of the season due to injury, reaching unprecedented levels of longevity in this league.

The younger generation is doing what they can to take the torch for James, and perhaps the person to do it will be San Antonio Spurs phenom Victor Wembanyama.

The French star is in just his third NBA season but is already viewed as one of the best players in the league. He was named an All-Star for the second time this season and during his media appearance, he spoke about how much he can learn from someone like LeBron and discussed his desire to pick him brain at some point.

“I actually think LeBron has some — he’s very intelligent in these areas. Him obviously being the face of the league. Having very few mistakes, PR mistakes. I think that definitely takes some intelligence,” Wembanyama said. “No, I think there are many things to take from him. I’ve never had the chance to spend time with him, to have full discussion, but I would love to. I don’t know how many millions of basketball players are on earth, and all of them can learn something from LeBron.”

Wembanyama was then asked if he will cry whenever James decides to retire from the NBA.

“No (smiling). You asked me to be honest. I’m not going to shed a tear, but it is going to be very weird, for sure,” the Spurs star added.

James himself recently discussed how much longer he can continue playing physically, although the mental aspect is a completely different story. LeBron is in the final year of his Lakers contract, so the 41-year-old will have some decisions to make regarding his future once the offseason rolls around.

LeBron James jokes Victor Wembanyama may send him into retirement​

When they met up for a live taping of “The Shop,” LeBron James actually joked that Victor Wembanyama will be the one that sends him into retirement.

Even though Wembanyama is only in his third season, he is already striking fear into his opponents as the sky is the limit for what he can accomplish in this league on both sides of the ball.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-news-victor-wembanyama-hoping-to-pick-brain-of-lebron-james/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

2026 NBA All-Star Game: Luka Doncic Plays Limited Minutes, LeBron James & Kawhi Leonard Star For Stripes Team

The 2026 NBA All-Star Game took place at Intuit Dome in Inglewood on Saturday afternoon with Los Angeles Lakers stars LeBron James and Luka Doncic involved in the event.

The NBA decided to switch the format of this year’s All-Star Game, splitting the players into three teams, two USA and one World, to compete in a tournament. Doncic, of course, was on the World Team, while James was on the USA Stripes Team. Both of the Lakers’ stars have dealt with recent injuries, however, so they played limited minutes in the game.

Doncic’s World Team faced off with the USA Stars Team in the first quarter and the Lakers star played five minutes with two points and two assists before being subbed out. That was his only action for the day, and he came out of it injury-free.

The first game wound up going to overtime with both teams tied at 32. The first team to score five points in the overtime period would win, and ultimately the Stars Team completed the comeback victory on a triple by Scottie Barnes.

James’ Stripes Team took on the USA Stars in the second game and he got things started with an assist to Kevin Durant from a triple and then a 3-pointer of his own. In five minutes to begin the game, James had five points, one rebound and one assist.

The energy and competitiveness was much better throughout compared to recent years. The second game came down to the wire, and De’Aaron Fox hit a triple at the buzzer to give the victory to the Stripes Team. James helped set up the final bucket after hitting his second 3-pointer, finishing with eight points.

James and Doncic’s teams squared off in the third quarter, although the latter was already done for the night.

In that game, Kawhi Leonard absolutely took over with 31 points for the Stripes team. He hit the game-winner, and James finished two points, two rebounds and four assists. LeBron’s bucket was a big one as he had a putback dunk to give his team the lead in the final minute.

The final matchup was the two USA teams once again.

Considering the Stripes Team had just played two games in a row, the Stars Team was well-rested and came out hot to take an early lead.

James did his part with five straight points to try to get his team back in it, but the Stars continued to pour it on for the easy victory.

Even though the Stripes and Stars played two games and split them, the Stars won the final one to take home the victory. Anthony Edwards was named MVP and awarded the Kobe Bryant trophy.

What’s next for the Lakers…​

The Lakers will now get some much-needed time off for the All-Star break before returning to the court on Friday against the L.A. Clippers at Crypto.com Arena.

Going into the break, the Lakers are tied for fifth in the Western Conference at 33-21 and are looking to make a run with their roster finally getting healthy.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/2026-nba-a...on-james-kawhi-leonard-star-for-stripes-team/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Lakers News: Ivica Zubac Reveals Magic Johnson Prevented Kareem Abdul-Jabbar From Mentoring Him

A trade that haunts the Los Angeles Lakers and their fans to this day was the 2019 deal sending Ivica Zubac to the L.A. Clippers for Mike Muscala. Magic Johnson and Rob Pelinka were the two key decision-makers at the time, and it did not take long to realize how disastrous a move it was.

During that time, the Lakers were in the midst of a rebuild and Zubac was only 21-years-old. He showed signs of being a quality center demonstrated the capability of a double-double big.

The Lakers have endless resources and plenty of successful centers who have walked through this organization. Zubac had all the tools to replicate the success he has had with Clippers with the team that drafted him, but they gave up on him prematurely.

Now reflecting on his time with the Lakers, the Zubac revealed a damning story of Johnson preventing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar from mentoring and working out with him, via X&O’s CHAT:

“After a few workouts, he told me he wanted to mentor me and work for the Lakers. After that, he had a meeting with Magic, and I don’t know what happened there, but he never got a job with the Lakers. He wanted some kind of role with the team just to work with me and the big guys, but unfortunately that never happened.”

On the surface, Johnson refusing to hire Abdul-Jabbar to work with Zubac and the other centers on the team makes little sense. Perhaps what prevented this move from happening was giving the Hall of Famer a job description and compensation for his time, but that shouldn’t have happened.

Johnson was president of basketball operations for a handful of years before eventually stepping down. He did some good things during his tenure like getting LeBron James to sign, but how he handled Zubac sticks out as one of his biggest mistakes.

Now with Mark Walter as the majority owner, a mistake like this should never happen again. Money should not be a deciding factor on whether or not to keep a player, which has haunted the Lakers for the past handful of years.

Ivica Zubac fondly recalls working out with Kareem-Abdul-Jabbar​

During Ivica Zubac’s departure from the Lakers, having an opportunity to work alongside one of the greatest centers ever in Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Although things did not materialize into a long-form working relationship, Zubac still looks back fondly of putting in time with Abdul-Jabbar.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-new...ented-kareem-abdul-jabbar-from-mentoring-him/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Luka Doncic: Hamstring ‘Felt Good’ In NBA All-Star Game Appearance

Los Angeles Lakers superstar Luka Doncic led all players in fan voting for the NBA All-Star Game, but his participation in the contest itself was up in the air. Doncic missed the Lakers’ last four games before the All-Star break due to a hamstring injury and while he had been progressing, it was unclear whether he would suit up.

It was ultimately revealed that Luka would indeed play in the All-Star Game, his first as a member of the Lakers, but would only take the court for limited minutes. That was the case as Doncic played just five minutes in the World Team’s first game against the USA Stars squad, finishing with two points and two assists.

Far more important than his performance was the health of that hamstring and in speaking after the game, Luka said that he felt good on the court while adding that he wanted to at least make an appearance for the fans who voted for him.

“It was good,” Doncic said. “Obviously, I wanted to go out there. The fans voted me to be in this game so I wanted to be there and be part of it a little bit. But (my hamstring) felt good.”

With the game being in Los Angeles, there were certain to be a large contingent of Lakers and Doncic fans in the building, even if it technically was in the home arena of the L.A. Clippers. But Luka was able to get out there for a little bit and give the fans a brief show.

All this would seem to point towards Doncic being back in uniform for the Lakers when they return to the court to face the Clippers on Friday night, though he kept his answer vague on the topic.

“We’ll see,” the Lakers star responded when asked if he plans on playing.

With a few more days off now though, it is fair to expect him to suit up after taking the court for this All-Star Game, not to mention knowing just how competitive Luka is.

Thankfully for Doncic and the Lakers, this hamstring issue was a minor one and now the team looks likely to begin this final stretch of the regular season with their three stars all healthy.

Luka Doncic believes Lakers have a team that can win a championship​

The question going forward for Luka Doncic and the Lakers now is whether they can compete with the NBA’s elite and contend for a championship and the Slovenian star believes this team is capable of that.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/luka-doncic-hamstring-felt-good-in-nba-all-star-game-appearance/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

How Much Cap Space Will Lakers Have In Summer Of 2026?

The Los Angeles Lakers stayed relatively quiet at the trade deadline this year. They made only one trade, swapping Gabe Vincent for Luke Kennard with the Atlanta Hawks, and giving them a 2032 second-round pick in the process. The biggest reason for this inaction is that the Lakers are — fairly openly — prioritizing clean books and cap space in the summer of 2026.

Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka was hesitant to take on long-term money last offseason, and that didn’t change at the trade deadline. Kennard is on an expiring $11 million contract — similar to Vincent — which allowed Pelinka to agree to the deal without concern.

That leaves the Lakers with a projection of around $48.5 million in cap space for the summer of 2026, which is among the most in the league, according to Yossi Gozlan of The Third Apron:

2026 cap space projections (post-trade deadline)

Bulls: $45-60 million (depends on Ivey)
Lakers: $48.5 million
Nets: $40 million
Clippers: $40 million (No Mathurin)
Hawks: $25 million (No Kuminga)

Few cap space teams and fewer attainable talent on the market pic.twitter.com/M81wbuUaIE

— Yossi Gozlan (@YossiGozlan) February 5, 2026

The $48.5 million number, Gozlan lists above, includes Reaves’ $20.9 million cap hold. All signs are pointing to Reaves signing a long-term deal with L.A. this summer at a higher number than that, but that won’t affect their cap space. The Lakers have Reaves’ bird rights, meaning as long as they keep his cap hold on their books, they can sign him to upwards of a max deal while being above the salary cap.

This number also includes player options for Deandre Ayton — $8,104,000 — and Marcus Smart — $5,390,700 — which could both be off the books if they decline and L.A. chooses not to re-sign them. The Lakers would not be able to sign them to deals greater than 120% of their current salaries without using cap space.

Bronny James is on a partially-guaranteed $2,296,271 salary, meaning they could add some space by waiving him before his guarantee date of June 29, and save around $1 million.

Included in this projection are also the guaranteed salaries of Luka Doncic, Jarred Vanderbilt, Jake LaRavia, Adou Thiero and the Lakers’ 2026 first-round draft pick.

Of course, there are always trades the Lakers could make in June that increase this figure. But as things stand, the Lakers will have just under one max salary slot to make moves with this summer.

Top Lakers Free Agent Targets​

Below are a list of the best free agents available in the offseason that the Lakers could pursue. LeBron James, an unrestricted free agent this summer, is not included in the list. But bringing him back, likely at a discount, is a possibility. The list is organized in order of the players’ 2025-26 salary.

Guards

Fred VanVleet (PO)
Norman Powell (UFA)
Lu Dort (TO)
Matisse Thybulle (UFA)
Quentin Grimes (UFA)
Ayo Dosunmu (UFA)
Jose Alvarado (UFA)

Forwards

Andrew Wiggins (PO)
Tobias Harris (UFA)
Draymond Green (PO)
Jonathan Kuminga (TO)
John Collins (UFA)
Tari Eason (RFA)
Peyton Watson (RFA)

Centers

Isaiah Hartenstein (TO)
Mitchell Robinson (UFA)
Moe Wagner (UFA)
Day’Ron Sharpe (TO)
Nick Richards (UFA)
Walker Kessler (RFA)
Sandro Mamukelashvili (PO)

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/how-much-cap-space-will-lakers-have-in-summer-of-2026/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Lakers Rumors: Andrew Wiggins, Tari Eason & Peyton Watson Among Potential Free Agent Targets

Other than acquiring Luke Kennard, the Los Angeles Lakers largely stood pat the trade deadline despite having clear needs on the roster.

The Lakers, as currently constructed, are a poor defensive team that struggles against younger, more athletic teams. Although Luka Doncic is having a career year and LeBron James and Austin Reaves are turning in All-Star-caliber seasons, Los Angeles is still a step behind the other contending teams around the NBA.

The lack of activity at the trade deadline supports the reporting that the Lakers will look to make their splash in the summer when they’re armed with more tradable draft capital and cap space.

In terms of free agency, there are several 3-and-D wings that could be had and a few of them were named as potential targets, via Dave McMenamin of ESPN:

An unrestricted free agent who has been discussed internally, sources told ESPN, is Andrew Wiggins, but he has a player option with Miami he could exercise. Tobias Harris, Quentin Grimes and Dean Wade are other players who fit that profile.

The Lakers have also privately discussed restricted free agents Tari Eason and Peyton Watson, sources told ESPN, and could land the latter if Denver, which already has $215 million in salary committed to returning players for next season, doesn’t match the offer sheet.

Some of these are names we’ve seen before. Andrew Wiggins was arguably the most popular name linked to the Lakers this past offseason, and he remains an intriguing option. A perimeter defender who can knock down an open 3-pointer and comes with championship experience would be a valuable addition to Los Angeles.

It’s not a foregone conclusion that Wiggins will even be a free agent this summer, however as he has a $30.2 million player option in 2026-27 that he could very well pick up.

The Lakers may also want to target the younger players available in order to match up better with Doncic’s timeline. With that in mind, Tari Eason and Peyton Watson would be excellent targets because of their skillsets and upside. Watson, in particular, seems attainable given his expected price tag and Southern Californian roots.

Attracting a star player to come to L.A. has always been the playbook for the front office, but with Doncic already locked down they need to surround him with complementary pieces. The modern NBA is built around speed, length and athleticism so the purple and gold should be as aggressive as possible for players with those attributes come the summer.

Lakers believe they would be on Giannis Antetokounmpo’s shortlist of trade destinations​

With more first round picks to trade, Los Angeles can make a run at nearly any player in the league. The big prize of the summer is Giannis Antetokounmpo, who appears ready to be moved and the Lakers believe they would be on his shortlist of trade destinations should he actually ask out.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-rum...on-watson-among-potential-free-agent-targets/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Lakers News: Jaxson Hayes Unlikely To Compete In NBA Slam Dunk Contest Again

The 2026 NBA All-Star Weekend in Los Angeles has passed and the Los Angeles Lakers were represented well as players like Jaxson Hayes took part in the NBA Slam Dunk Contest while Luka Doncic and LeBron James played in the All-Star Game.

Hayes received an invitation for the Dunk Contest and seemed to be preparing for the event as he threw down several impressive dunks in the week prior. However, Hayes didn’t advance to the final round after putting up a subpar performance in the opening rounds.

It was a bit disappointing to see Hayes eliminated so early, especially after he acknowledged that he had always dreamed of participating in the event.

While Hayes still has a decent shot of being asked to do the Dunk Contest again, he acknowledged that the answer would most likely be no after seeing the toll it took on his knees.

“This is my seventh year in the NBA, I’m gonna be in my eighth year next year. You see these young guys got way more legs. I went up for my first dunk, I felt it right in my knees. I don’t think so,” Hayes said. “It was fun to do and to say I did it, but I don’t know. I’m not gonna fully shut out the dunk contest, but most likely no. I’d rather much be in Hawaii right now.”

With how long and arduous the regular season is and the increased risk of injury, it makes sense why Hayes would look to avoid participating again. The event itself has seen a dip in popularity due to the lack of big-name stars participating, so that’s another obstacle the league needs to consider moving forward.

Staying healthy has been a huge problem for the Lakers during the 2025-26 season, so it would be disastrous if someone like Hayes got hurt outside of a game. It’s disappointing that Hayes couldn’t bring home the win, but L.A. has more important things to worry about.

Jaxson Hayes nearing completion of Slovenian citizenship​

Jaxson Hayes may not consider participating in the NBA Slam Dunk Contest again, but it looks like he’s on track to play for the Slovenian national team as he is reportedly nearing completion of gaining citizenship.

Hayes has been open about his desire to play on the national stage alongside his Lakers teammate Luka Doncic. Doncic’s Slovenia squads lack the NBA talent other countries boast, so Hayes would be a huge reinforcement.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-new...ly-to-compete-in-nba-slam-dunk-contest-again/