News Lakers Team Notes

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Lakers News: LeBron James Doesn’t Think NBA Finals Being Small-Market Teams Should Matter Less

LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers were sent home in the first round of the NBA Playoffs, falling to the Minnesota Timberwolves in five games. The Timberwolves went on to lose in the Western Conference Finals to the Oklahoma City Thunder, the team that has been the most dominant in the league all season long.

On the other side of the bracket, the Indiana Pacers have had one of the craziest runs to the NBA Finals in league history, completing four 15-point comebacks in the first three rounds and winning three games when trailing by seven or more in the final minute. But the Thunder-Pacers Finals — lacking in big-market appeal or significant star power — became a topic of discussion prior to the start of the series.

James, a player who has been in a major market for half of his career and turned Cleveland into a big market by himself, still holds huge appreciation for the Pacers and the Thunder. He explained on the latest episode of “Mind the Game” why he isn’t bothered by a small-market NBA Finals:

“I don’t know where it comes from. Listen, I played in Cleveland for 11 years and we were a small market. I just think it’s all about the storylines, it’s about what people can say on TV and create these Superman vs. Batman or DC Comics vs. Marvel. When it comes to the game of basketball, it doesn’t matter who’s representing who, it’s about two great teams. We talked previously in a lot of our episodes, we praise a lot of individuals and rightfully so. We have unbelievable individuals in our sport over the years who have done great things and have put themselves in a position to be talked about. But one thing we cannot disrespect is great teams. We can’t disrespect the 2003 Detroit Pistons with Chauncey, Rip, Tayshaun, Ben, Rasheed, rest of that group. These are teams that are completely put together. You can disrespect the 2019 Toronto Raptors with Fred VanVleet, Kawhi, Pascal. That’s a great team; you look at that roster like that’s a great team.

“So we have this Indiana-OKC situation and these are two great teams. And if you’re a basketball fan and you really love our game, you can learn so much from watching the way both of those teams play. Yes, you have your favorite players or favorite colors and there’s something to that. But if we’re just talking about the purity of the game and the sport, these are two teams that play the game the right way. And you love to see it. And even after that, they f—-ing earned it. They’ve been through the trenches, and injuries happen and things of that nature, but at the end of the day you’ve still gotta show up and play the game. The game is won in between the four lines. If someone’s injured, you can’t just forfeit because you have your players. You still have to play the game. Indiana’s been playing great basketball, and OKC has been doing this all year. And I think it’ll be a great Finals to watch. I love the game, so I’ll be in attendance.”

While the NBA would certainly be happy if James and the Lakers were in the NBA Finals, there is so much to love about the two teams currently playing, like LeBron says. They are both well-built teams with deep benches, fun role players and a star at the top of the chain.

Both teams play defense — the Thunder at a historic level — and can go on scoring flurries that make the game fun to watch. The dramatics of Game 1 showed just how exciting this series could be. And while it may not be great for ratings, it’s great for basketball, James argues, for the Thunder and Pacers to be where they are.

LeBron James calls bubble purest form of hoops​

The 2019-20 Lakers were a special group as they overcame a ton of adversity to win the NBA Championship.

The Lakers finished that tumultuous season in the Orlando bubble and came back with the championship, which was the fourth in LeBron James’ illustrious career.

Since the Lakers won that title, a lot of people have tried to downplay it. The circumstances were certainly unique playing in the Orlando bubble with no fans in attendance, but that doesn’t make it any less of a championship. The circumstances were the equal for everyone and one team ultimately came out of top.

James discussed the bubble on the latest episode of “Mind the Game” podcast with Steve Nash and stressed that it was pure hoops.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-new...inals-being-small-market-teams-should-matter/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Lakers News: Magic Johnson Sends Message To Luka Doncic

Luka Doncic spent the second half of the 2024-25 season in a daze following his shocking trade to the Los Angeles Lakers.

Doncic had been sidelined for weeks due to a calf strain and was close to making a return before the Dallas Mavericks traded him to Los Angeles. Despite the abrupt ending and difficult circumstances, Doncic and the Lakers were able to cobble together enough wins to secure the third seed in the Western Conference playoffs.

Unfortunately, Doncic’s first Lakers’ playoff series went poorly as the team lost in five games to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Almost immediately following L.A.’s elimination, people called for him to get into better shape to carry a team deeper into the playoffs.

Magic Johnson is the latest person to call out Doncic’s conditioning and warned that the upcoming year is important for the franchise during an appearance on ESPN’s “First Take” on Thursday morning:

“Luka gotta understand this is not Dallas. To your point, Kobe, superstar who led us, Shaq led us to a championship, LeBron led us. And that’s what’s missing here. We shouldn’t have to tell you to be in shape, you should have been about that, right? Especially when you’re a superstar. So this is gonna be an important year for the Lakers, important offseason for the Lakers.”

Johnson understands more than anybody what it’s like to be the face of the Lakers franchise and while Doncic has the talent and popularity to fill that role, he’s still got more to accomplish on the floor. Johnson isn’t the only former Laker to call him out as Robert Horry also noted Doncic needs to be better on the defensive end.

As far as Johnson’s other comments, this summer is a pivotal one because they’ll need to find pieces to surround Doncic with long term. This season’s roster wasn’t built with him in mind, so finding complementary players will go a long way in ensuring Los Angeles is in a better spot to compete for championships.

The Lakers will go as far as Doncic can take them and it’ll be exciting to see if he’s up to meet the challenge.

Luka Doncic putting in work in weight room​

Because the conditioning angle has been talked about endlessly, it’s hard to imagine that Luka Doncic isn’t doing what he can to prepare for the 2025-26 season. In fact, he recently posted a video of himself getting work done in the weight room and looks like he’s already in better shape.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-news-magic-johnson-sends-message-to-luka-doncic/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Lakers Rumors: Dorian Finney-Smith Underwent Left Ankle Surgery

While the Los Angeles Lakers’ blockbuster trade for Luka Doncic stole all the headlines, they made another under-the-radar move this past season when they acquired Dorian Finney-Smith from the Brooklyn Nets.

The Lakers have been looking for a quality 3-and-D wing for a while now and Finney-Smith fit that bill with L.A. only needing to send D’Angelo Russell and second-round picks back to Brooklyn.

Despite not putting up big stats, Finney-Smith played a huge role in the Lakers winning 50 games and earning the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference. He did that despite playing through a lingering ankle issue that began in Brooklyn.

To finish out the year, Finney-Smith often found himself sitting out back-to-backs in order to keep his ankle as healthy as possible. Now that the season is over though, Finney-Smith underwent surgery on the left ankle to fix the issue, per Dave McMenamin of ESPN:

Los Angeles Lakers forward Dorian Finney-Smith underwent surgery on his left ankle and is expected to be able to participate in training camp ahead of the 2025-26 NBA season, sources told ESPN.

The procedure will allow the 31-year-old Finney-Smith to play pain free after cleaning up a lingering ankle injury that he fought to play through the last several seasons.

Addressing the ankle injury now is the right thing to do as Finney-Smith will have plenty of time for rest and rehab before the start of training camp at the end of September. The hope is that this surgery will fix the issue and it will not linger into the 2025-26 season.

Despite the expectation that Finney-Smith will be ready for training camp though, his future with the Lakers is currently up in the air. The 31-year-old has a $15.4 million player option for the 2025-26 season that he has to decide on by June 29. He is currently eligible for a contract extension so can sign anytime before that.

If he doesn’t sign an extension and declines his player option though, then Finney-Smith will become an unrestricted free agent. But that scenario seems unlikely as there is clearly mutual interest on the forward returning to L.A., especially after the team brought in his former teammate and close friend in Doncic.

Dorian Finney-Smith reflects on first season with Lakers​

Even though it didn’t end how they wanted it to, Dorian Finney-Smith enjoyed his first season with the Lakers and reflected on it after the team was eliminated.

“Being here has been amazing,” he said in his exit interview. “Making it to the 3-seed has been fun, Luka coming in February was a big surprise to many, especially me. Happy to be back with my dawg. Just mad right now that our season ended.”

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-rumors-dorian-finney-smith-underwent-left-ankle-surgery/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Magic Johnson Discusses Offseason Needs For Lakers

The Los Angeles Lakers are entering an important offseason in which they will look to build the right roster around Luka Doncic and LeBron James to become true championship contenders. Many have opinions on what the franchise should do this summer, and that includes the greatest point guard of all-time Magic Johnson.

The Lakers legend has always been one to speak freely about what he believes the franchise should do and this offseason is no different. Johnson appeared on ESPN’s Get Up and praised Doncic for getting into better shape before breaking down what he feels the team needs to do to become a championship-level team:

“Well first of all, great job by coach JJ Redick to put everybody on notice on the Lakers team that they have to be in better condition for them to win an NBA Championship. And I’m glad that Luka listened to JJ, and now look at him. He looks great right now and the rest of the Lakers have to do the same thing. And Luka, it’s great what you did in Dallas, but the difference is, in Los Angeles, we expect championships and we expect our superstars to lead us to a championship. LeBron has already did that, now we want Luka to do the same thing. But it’s gonna take more than just Luka. It’s gonna take more than just Luka being in shape. Rob Pelinka has gotta improve the roster. We need a big man and so hopefully we’ll be able to get a big man during this offseason. I think we must improve the bench as well, and so Rob will have a chance to do that as well. We gotta get faster. Right now, the Lakers are too slow and Minnesota really exposed the Lakers. When they had individual matchups, they went at Luka and they went at Austin Reaves, so they must improve the defense. If they don’t improve the defense, it’s no way the Lakers can win a championship.”

The playoffs certainly exposed the Lakers’ faults and the pressure is on Rob Pelinka to improve those issues this summer. Ultimately, all eyes will be on James and Doncic, and Johnson feels they must embrace that:

“They have to take on that mindset, it is them two against the world. Kareem and I used to say it’s us against the world and we didn’t mind that, we embraced that. We went out and said bring it on, and so him and LeBron gotta say hey, we gotta get together and say it’s us against the world, but we need other guys to help us win the championship. All you have to do is look at these playoffs right now and these Finals. SGA is not playing by hisself. Haliburton is not playing by hisself. You need four other guys. And last night you saw eight guys actually help the Pacers win that game last night. So if the Lakers are going to win a championship, it’s gonna take more than just Luka and LeBron. Now they must play at a superstar level, yes we understand that, but they need help. So, we need a center, an athletic center, and then we need some other pieces to help put LeBron and Luka in a comfortable situation, in a situation that they know that they can win a championship.”

This offseason is shaping up to be an action-packed one across the entire NBA and the Lakers will have to make the right moves if they hope to keep pace in the extremely competitive Western Conference. Doncic and James will lead the way and if Pelinka and the front office can build the right roster around them, the Lakers will be ready to take on anybody.

Lakers’ legend Magic Johnson’s NBA Finals prediction holding true​

Prior to the start of the NBA Finals Lakers legend Magic Johnson made a prediction that the series between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers would be much closer than people thought.

With Thunder in five being the prevailing belief throughout the basketball world, Johnson saw things going differently and he has proven to be right.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/magic-johnson-discusses-offseason-needs-for-lakers/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Lakers News: Magic Johnson Names Preferred Trade Destinations For Suns’ Kevin Durant

Kevin Durant is one of the stars that will be on the move this summer as he and the Phoenix Suns work towards finding a trade.

The Suns took calls on the veteran superstar during the NBA trade deadline and for a moment it looked like he would be traded as the Golden State Warriors were sniffing around a reunion. In fact, Draymond Green thought the Warriors landed Durant when the Luka Doncic trade news broke.

Durant may on the opposite end of his prime, but he remains a highly efficient scorer and shooter who can uplift any contending team. Los Angeles Lakers legend Magic Johnson appeared on ESPN’s First Take and named his preferred destination for Durant:

“Kevin Durant is a piece that can actually get you over to win a championship. I like him if he could come here to New York for the Knicks. Brunson needs help and he needs help in the fourth quarter. He’s gonna get you there, but then Indiana loaded up against him and everybody else couldn’t deliver. So they need a guy like Kevin Durant who can say, ‘OK, Brunson you get us there but I’m gonna take us home.’ It reminds me of Shaq and Kobe. Shaq, you get me to the fourth and Kobe said I got it, I’m gonna take us home. So you need a person like Kevin Durant who can also put a team into foul trouble. It’s not just his scoring ability but he also puts you in foul trouble. That was a wake up call against the Pacers with the Knicks. They’re not deep enough and they’re too slow as a team playing the two bigs. Siakam took full advantage of both of those guys when they tried to guard him, Karl-Anthony Towns. And so I believe Durant could help the Knicks if he came here. Also he could help Miami, too. I don’t know if him and Anthony [Edwards] could play together because of the fact of who’s gonna close the game. I see it, but I don’t know if it’s gonna work out. But I love Miami, I love him with the Knicks. And Houston, yeah. They got some young fellas who need a guy like Kevin Durant. And definitely in San Antonio because they’re so young. They need a veteran presence to teach them how to win and Kevin would do that.”

The New York Knicks make for a star-studded fit, though the team is in flux as it searches for a head coach. The Miami Heat are a logical destination and could be the best overall fit between need, destination and mutual interest. Lastly, both Texas teams should be appealing for Durant as both have the young talent and stars to make a deep playoff run.

With rumors brewing that a deal could come sooner than later, it’ll be fascinating to see where Durant lands.

Kevin Durant wins 2024-25 PBWA Magic Johnson award​

Despite the Suns’ tumultuous 2024-25 season, Kevin Durant remained open and honest with the media. For his cooperation, the 36-year-old was named the winner of the 2024-25 PBWA Magic Johnson award.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-new...red-trade-destinations-for-suns-kevin-durant/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Lakers News: LeBron James Compares Orlando Bubble Postseason To ‘Mental Warfare’

Over the years, some have questioned the validity of the Los Angeles Lakers’ 2020 NBA Championship that took place inside the Orlando bubble. Despite the Lakers being the favorite before the season shut down and things moved to Orlando, some still believe LeBron James and Anthony Davis were only successful in bringing L.A. its 17th NBA Championship because things took place in the bubble.

This is, of course, ridiculous and many players have spoken out about that. Not just members of that Lakers championship team, but many others who participated in the bubble have said how difficult that situation was and that the Lakers were more than deserving of that ring and shouldn’t be questioned.

And being in the bubble brought about its own weird circumstances, as LeBron spoke about on the latest episode of the “Mind the Game podcast” with Steve Nash. The Lakers superstar noted that it was a different type of mental warfare going on as the team took on the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals:

“I think the Heat were in our hotel. Yeah, going back to the same place. Every morning you have to get tested in the morning, you might bump into them in the hotel while you’re eating. That’s another part of like, that’s like some mental warfare. There’s no escape. It’s like OK, I’ve battled this guy, he’s pushed me, he’s cursed me out, it’s a physical game. And then when it’s finally time for me to finally relax and have a glass of wine, I’m bumping into this guy on the elevator. I gotta ride up 40 floors to get up to my room. It’s another set of mental warfare and it’s like, who’s gonna be the one to fall, who’s gonna blink? That was a very challenging, difficult thing because you just don’t wanna be around the competition until I get on the floor. You wanna save it for when it counts, so it was so different and challenging for sure.”

That is certainly something that is very unique to that situation that no one else has experienced before or since. Having to see these same players that you were battling against at the highest level in the hotel or on the elevator just minutes or hours later is so different. Like James said, players are trying to keep that intensity against their opponents and it’s odd to do so when you’re having breakfast just a few feet away.

In the end, the Lakers were able to put that to the side and hoist the Larry O’Brien Trophy at the end of things and regardless of what some haters say, there is no taking away or invalidating that ring.

Lakers’ LeBron James gives advice to anyone who makes the NBA Finals​

LeBron James has made more NBA Finals appearances than all but two players in the history of the NBA and the Lakers superstar gave some advice to anyone who ever makes the NBA Finals.

LeBron implored players to enjoy everything about it, even the annoying things, because nothing is guaranteed and you may never return to the Finals. But the Lakers star also said that it’s important to keep ‘the main thing the main thing’ or, in other words, don’t lose sight of the ultimate goal of winning that championship.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-new...-orlando-bubble-postseason-to-mental-warfare/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Lakers News: Dalton Knecht Hoping To Play With LeBron James For Another 5-10 Years

The biggest question mark surrounding the Los Angeles Lakers heading into the offseason is the status of LeBron James as while all signs point to him returning for another season, the 40-year-old is naturally taking some time to contemplate his future.

After playing 22 seasons, there’s no denying that the end is near for James and he is likely asking himself how much longer he can keep playing, especially at an elite level.

One of his Lakers teammates thinks there is a lot left in the tank, however. According to TMZ, Dalton Knecht is hoping that he still has many years left playing with James:

“He said he can play another 5, 10 years,” Knecht said of his Hall of Fame-bound teammate. “So, me and ‘Bron could run it for another five, 10 years. Why not?!”

Knecht has already gotten to play with some superstars in his young career in James, Anthony Davis and Luka Doncic. He had a whirlwind of a rookie season as he burst onto the scene early in the year. He was then dealt to the Charlotte Hornets at the trade deadline, although the deal fell through when the Lakers failed Mark Williams’ physical and Knecht wound up back in L.A. to finish the year.

James is not the only one whose status is up in the air heading into the offseason as it’s of course possible that the Lakers look to trade Knecht again. He is one of the organization’s most valuable assets and it’s no secret the Lakers need to add a center, likely on the trade market.

If Knecht somehow survives the offseason though then he will get his wish and team up with James for another season. Five to 10 more years seems out of the question, although you never know when it comes to LeBron.

LeBron James on what makes Luka Doncic so special​

Part of what could get LeBron James to play for the Lakers longer is the fact that they have another superstar in Luka Doncic that can help ease his workload. James recently discussed what makes Doncic so special.

“It’s always his pace. It’s always been his pace,” James said. “It’s never been a game where it’s like ‘you can speed me up, he can speed me up, this bigger guy can be more physical, this smaller guy can get underneath me.’ It’s like, he moves at his own pace. And he’s never ever been on the floor, where he’s allowed someone to dictate where they’re going to put him on the floor. It’s always been the opposite. And for us, we all working off of that, we’ve just got to stay ready. We’ve seen throughout his career, there’s plays and passes that only certain guys in league history have ever been able to make. And for us, we just have to make sure that we continue to stay ready, especially when you’re going against handsy teams, athletic teams and teams that try to speed you up. We always have to keep our head on a swivel, because you just never know when the ball may find you. And that’s a good thing, that’s keeping the defense off balance and it’s a great thing to have that.”

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-new...lay-with-lebron-james-for-another-5-10-years/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Austin Reaves Wants To Play Entire Career With Lakers

Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves has rapidly ascended from undrafted free agent to bonafide third option and one of the best in the league in that regard in just four seasons. But after a rough showing in L.A.’s first round loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves, questions arose about Reaves’ place in the Lakers’ future next to Luka Doncic.

Doncic and Reaves were actually a positive net rating when playing together this season, but there are valid concerns about the fact that neither is elite on the defensive end. And with the way teams are being structured now, having two defensive liabilities on the court at any given time is a difficult pill to swallow in the playoffs.

But if Reaves has any say in the matter, he’s going to be with the Lakers for a long time. He recently spoke at a basketball camp hosted by he and his brother, Spencer, about his future in L.A., via Charles McCary of K8 News:

“I think the sky’s the limit for us. We’re moving in the right direction. Obviously, adding Luka (Doncic), it gives you a hall of fame player such a young age that you can build around, and then obviously, still having Bron (Lebron James), the IQ, and still running around at forty years old, but I want to be in LA. I want to play my whole career in LA. I love it there. I love the fans. Love the weather, love the golf. And obviously the Lakers is the best organization in basketball. (on trade rumors) I don’t pay attention to it. I keep my head down work, and I feel like that’s one of the reasons I’m where I’m at.”

Reaves is extension-eligible this summer but is widely expected to decline the maximum offer of four years, $89.2 million that the Lakers can offer him. Instead, he’ll likely decline his player option and become an unrestricted free agent next summer, when he can sign as big a deal as he can get with the Lakers or another team.

If he is serious about wanting to be a Laker for life, that bodes well for L.A. in. their negotiations with him next summer. But first, the Lakers need to see what a full season with Reaves and Doncic looks like.

Lakers linked to Brook Lopez​

In order for the duo of Austin Reaves and Luka Doncic to work alongside superstar LeBron James, the Lakers need to fill out the rest of the roster flawlessly, including adding 1-2 centers to the mix. One of the names that has popped up multiple times this offseason already is Milwaukee Bucks center Brook Lopez.

The Lakers have a good relationship with Lopez, and although he is no longer the player he once was, he still has great defensive instincts, can shoot the 3 and is a consummate professional.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/austin-reaves-wants-to-play-entire-career-with-lakers/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Lakers News: LeBron James’ Kids Urging Him To Continue Playing

LeBron James just wrapped up his 22nd season in the NBA and he showed he still has some gas left in the tank as he wound up being named to the All-NBA Second Team for his 2024-25 season performance.

James led the Los Angeles Lakers to a 50-win season and the third seed in the Western Conference, accomplishments that were unprecedented for the 40-year-old. While the Lakers were quickly eliminated in the first round, it was hardly James’ fault as he was one of the best players in the series.

Following the loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves, LeBron teased that he hadn’t committed to returning for the 2025-26 season despite owning a player option. James has yet to confirm if he’s returning to play, but Los Angeles is operating as if the superstar will be back in purple and gold.

James still has some time before needing to make a decision, but he revealed that his kids have a clear preference for him, via ESPN and The Associated Press:

“They’re like, ‘Dad, continue on your dream. This is your dream. Continue on your focus. You’ve been here for us this whole time,'” he said. “When you have that type of support … it makes it a lot easier.”

LeBron is getting to live out his dream of playing with his son Bronny James on the Lakers and there’s an outside shot that he could see Bryce in the league as well. Bryce James is set to play college basketball at Arizona this coming year and will be draft eligible in 2026, so there’s a possibility all three James men will be in the NBA at the same time.

With how well LeBron is playing, he absolutely could play at least two more years at a high level before calling it a career. Los Angeles has the ability to keep James fresher throughout the regular season now that Luka Doncic is on the roster, so perhaps that can prolong his career as well.

LeBron hasn’t been shy letting people know that the end of his storied career is coming to an end, even agreeing to an Amazon ad that teased his potential retirement. Hopefully he sticks around longer because there’s been no one in league history like him.

LeBron James focused on getting knee to 100 percent before training camp​

LeBron James was diagnosed with a Grade 2 MCL sprain following the playoffs and he recently said his focus is getting his knee to 100 percent before Lakers training camp.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-news-lebron-james-kids-urging-him-to-continue-playing/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Lakers News: Jalen Williams Embracing Mentality Of Favorite Player Kobe Bryant

The Oklahoma City Thunder are just one win away from winning an NBA Championship and a big reason why has been the leap taken by wing Jalen Williams. In just his third season, Williams made his first All-Star team and now the wing, who wears No. 8 in honor of Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant, is shining on the NBA’s biggest stage.

Game 5 will undoubtedly go down as one of the biggest performances in Williams’ career as he dropped 40 points to push the Thunder to victory. In fact, he passed his idol Kobe as well as Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo in needing just 35 minutes to reach that 40-point mark, the fewest for a 40-point game in NBA Finals history. It took Kobe and Giannis 38 minutes to do so.

After some struggles earlier in the playoffs, Williams has transcended to a new level and much of that has to do with him embracing that ‘Mamba Mentality’ the Lakers legend was known for, as he spoke about in an interview with ESPN’s Malika Andrews:

“I’m a big Kobe fan, yeah… Just like the mentality. Obviously I don’t think I play anything like Kobe, I kind of threw that out when I was younger. But the more I get in these positions, the more I understand like the way that he was and I think that’s what makes it fun to be in these situations.”

It’s normal for many players to struggle deeper into the playoffs, especially when they’re young and haven’t experienced the intensity before. Williams has taken his lumps and growing pains, just like Bryant did in his early days with the Lakers, and now he is ready and able to take on anything that gets thrown his way.

Williams is averaging 25.8 points, 5.6 rebounds and 4.2 assists in the NBA Finals so far and only seems to be getting more comfortable as the series progresses. And if he can put together one more amazing performance, he will be hoisting his first Larry O’Brien trophy.

Jalen Williams sees a lot of similarities between Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Lakers legend Kobe Bryant​

Of course it is Jalen Williams’ teammate, the 2025 NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who has been getting much of the attention all year long and rightfully so. In the midst of it, the Thunder guard has drawn some comparisons to Lakers legend Kobe Bryant and Williams says he sees ‘a lot of similarities’ between the two.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-new...ing-mentality-of-favorite-player-kobe-bryant/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Lakers Rumors: Buss Family Vote To Sell Team Was Majority But Not Unanimous

Wednesday afternoon brought brought about some major news as it was reported that the Buss family had agreed to sell their majority share of the Los Angeles Lakers to Mark Walter, CEO of TWG Global, for a record $10 billion valuation. The Buss family has owned the Lakers since Dr. Jerry Buss bought the team in 1979, experiencing unbelievable success with 11 NBA Championships and countless all-time great superstars wearing the purple and gold over that time.

When Dr. Buss passed away in 2013, ownership of the Lakers was passed along to his six children in a trust, with each owning an equal share. Jeanie Buss serves as team president and chairman of the board, but any sale of the franchise would need a majority vote of the Buss children to be approved.

According to Dave McMenamin of ESPN, that is precisely what happened as the Buss siblings approved the sale to Walter with a majority vote:

The Los Angeles Lakers intended $10 billion sale to Mark Walter was approved by the Buss siblings through a majority vote, a source familiar with the situation told ESPN

— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) June 19, 2025

But while a majority vote did occur, it was not a unanimous vote as there were reportedly some Buss children who did not want to sell the team, via ESPN’s Brian Windhorst:

“There are six Buss children: four children from Jerry Buss’ first marriage, two children from his second marriage. They each have equal share. For them to sell, they had to have a majority of them [vote yes]. There were some in that group who wanted to sell. There were some in that group who didn’t want to sell.”

This is an absolutely monumental moment in the history of the Lakers as the Buss family has been synonymous with this franchise since 1979. While Jeanie will continue on in her role, and Walter has a strong track record so far with the success of the Los Angeles Dodgers since he took that franchise over, it remains a shock to see the Buss family no longer in charge of the purple and gold.

Luka Doncic & LeBron James excited about Lakers sale​

There is now even more buzz surrounding the Lakers as the offseason is right around the corner and that excitement apparently extends to the franchise’s superstar duo in LeBron James and Luka Doncic.

Both Doncic and James are reportedly excited about what this sale means for the team. A recent report notes that this sale should allow for the team to put more money towards things such as the scouting and analytics departments amongst other things, that will make the Lakers an even more inviting destination for players in the future.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-rumors-buss-family-vote-to-sell-team-was-majority-but-not-unanimous/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Lakers Rumors: Trade Talks For Walker Kessler Have Not Reached ‘Serious Stages’

It is very well known that the Los Angeles Lakers are in the market for a center this offseason. In fact, the team has been looking for a big man even before they traded for Luka Doncic in February and one name that has come up numerous times is Utah Jazz center Walker Kessler.

Kessler is one of the best young bigs in the NBA today who led the league in offensive rebounds per game, ranked fifth in total rebounds per game, and second in blocks. The Lakers have been linked to him for quite some time and it was even briefly reported that they had recently made an offer to Utah for the center.

However, it now seems as that isn’t the case as, according to Andy Larsen of the Salt Lake Tribune, trade talks have not reached the serious stages yet:

Welp, got aggregated today.

I’ll say this as a point of clarification: while all of the possibilities I mentioned (Sexton to Dallas, LAL interest in Kessler, PHI interest in a pick 3/5 swap) have been discussed, they haven’t gotten into the serious stages to my knowledge.

— Andy Larsen (@andyblarsen) June 18, 2025

There is some interest in Kessler not just from the Lakers, but around the league and the Jazz are expected to be open to some trades this offseason with the big man potentially being made available. The question is what would the Jazz want in return for him as their asking price for the promising young center has previously been pretty high.

It makes sense as Kessler averaged 11.1 points, 12.2 rebounds and 2.4 blocks in his third NBA season and isn’t even 24 years old yet. He could be the Lakers’ long-term answer in the middle, so the Jazz would want a serious return if they were to give him up in a trade. But just how far the Lakers are willing to go is unclear. As this offseason goes forward, the Lakers will undoubtedly consider many different options at center and it will be interesting to see if talks with the Jazz on Kessler ratchet up again.

Lakers have had talks with Jazz on forward John Collins​

Walker Kessler isn’t the only player the Lakers have spoken with the Jazz about as the team has also had discussions centered around John Collins. The power forward is coming off an excellent season in Utah, but with the Lakers already crowded at that position, trading for him might not make too much sense.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-rum...lker-kessler-have-not-reached-serious-stages/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Markieff Morris Believes Lakers Only Need ‘Minor Tweaks’ To Roster

The Los Angeles Lakers ended their season on a disappointing note, losing to the Minnesota Timberwolves in five games in the first round. L.A. was favored in that series, having home-court advantage and being the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference. But Minnesota was the better team through and through.

This opened the door for questions about the types of moves the Lakers might make in the offseason. It was well-known that L.A. needed a starting-caliber center — and maybe another one off the bench — but questions even began circulating about if a core of Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves and LeBron James could win together in a modern NBA.

Markieff Morris gave his thoughts on the Lakers offseason plans, wanting the team to steer away from wholesale changes and explained why, via “Get Up” on ESPN:

“I think ultimately, Luka does re-sign. Now, is it four years? Is it two years? But, ultimately, I think he will be there. What I think they need to make happen to the roster, I think it’s minor tweaks. You’re in a position where LeBron has maybe two years left and he’s trying to win right now, so I don’t think bringing in a ton of new pieces and revamping the team makes a lot of sense. I think where they were this year, we were really close to winning, so it’s just minor tweaks. You may get a big in there, but I don’t think you move core pieces to get a big and mess the team up. When it reality, you only really need one big for the big fella in Joker, to be able to get to the Finals. So I don’t think you want to put too much into that. I think you come back with the same core pieces and you just add maybe a big and you keep growing your team through working them out and trying to figure out what’s the next steps.”

Morris’ argument is interesting. From his perspective within the locker room, he doesn’t believe the team was as far away from contending as their playoff performance would suggest. And maybe there’s some validity to the idea that trading away core pieces sets the team back when chemistry has been such a strong focus in this year’s NBA Finals.

However, the facts are that the Lakers won just one playoff game this year, and they need to figure out a way to have a chance at winning 16 next season. And to do that, they may need to make some larger core changes.

Lakers’ trade talks for Walker Kessler have not reached serious stages​

It is very well known that the Lakers are in the market for a center this offseason. In fact, the team has been looking for a big man even before they traded for Luka in February and one name that has come up numerous times is Utah Jazz center Walker Kessler.

Kessler is one of the best young bigs in the NBA today who led the league in offensive rebounds per game, ranked fifth in total rebounds per game, and second in blocks. The Lakers have been linked to him for quite some time and it was even briefly reported that they had recently made an offer to Utah for the center.

However, it now seems that isn’t the case as recent reports indicate trade talks have not reached the serious stages yet.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/markieff-morris-believes-lakers-only-need-minor-tweaks-to-roster/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Austin Reaves Explains Why He Wants To Stay With Lakers For Entire Career

Austin Reaves is one of the big conversation topics surrounding the Los Angeles Lakers heading into the summer. He is extension-eligible this offseason but is widely expected to turn down L.A.’s max offer of four years, $89.2 million in favor of a bigger payday next summer. However, he has made it clear that his plan is to be a Laker for life.

Reaves said this both in reference to the extension talks and some of the rumors floating around that he could be traded this offseason if the team feels they need to in order to build a championship roster around Luka Doncic.

He spoke with us about why he wants to be a Laker for life and what the organization and fans have meant to him.

“I grew up a Lakers fan, I was a huge Kobe fan and for the Lakers to be the first team that I was involved with on the two-way and then the contract, it’s kind of just the story,” Reaves said in an exclusive interview with Lakers Nation’s Trevor Lane. “And fans in L.A. have treated me great ever since Day 1. It feels like a second home to me.

“I’ll be on the road and be like ‘I can’t wait to go home,’ and people are like ‘You want to go to Arkansas?’ And I’m like ‘No, I want to go to L.A. I was talking about L.A., I want to go to Arkansas too.’ But yeah, L.A. feels like home to me. I feel like we are right there to creating something special, and I want to win a championship more than anything. Especially with that organization. So yeah, I want to be there.”

Reaves was then asked about his extension talks, but the Lakers guard said it hasn’t been on the forefront of his mind.

“I haven’t, no,” Reaves admitted when asked if he has thought about the possibility. “I try to live every day as a single, lone day. I really don’t think too far ahead or dwell on the past too much, I kind of just try to live my life every single moment. But like I said, I want to be in L.A., I tell everybody that. My family loves it there, the organization treats them great, so we’re very grateful to be in L.A.”

If it works out for Reaves to be a Laker for life, that would be incredible in the modern NBA. Reaves, Doncic and LeBron James certainly seem to have an off-court chemistry together, and perhaps more time is needed to figure out their on-court chemistry.

But, at least for now, it seems Reaves’ plan is to be a Laker as long as they’ll keep him.

Austin Reaves discusses fit with Luka Doncic​

Austin Reaves is certainly a believer in his pairing with Doncic in the Lakers’ backcourt and feels they can create a lot of chaos on offense for the opposition while also holding their own defensively.

“I think it brings so much chaos offensively because you got two guys, you know obviously I’m not putting myself in Luka’s category because he’s top three player in the NBA,” Reaves said. “But it brings two guys in the 1-2 spot, then obviously you have Bron too, that are willing passers, that can create chaos on defense. So therefore, I think it’s gonna be tough for teams to stay in front of us, I feel like we can get good looks every possession. And then defensively, we just have to lock down and just be with it mentally every possession. Right after the trade I think for like a month or two months, we had a top five defense in the NBA so we’ve shown that we can do that we just have to continue to grow in our schemes and how we wanna do that and be smart with all that.”

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/austin-reaves-explains-why-he-wants-to-stay-with-lakers-for-entire-career/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Lakers Video: LeBron James Jokes That Victor Wembanyama Might Send Him Into Retirement

LeBron James just completed his 22nd season in the NBA, and while he continues to play at an elite level for the Los Angeles Lakers, some have wondered when the 40-year-old will finally decide to walk away from the game.

James posted a short video earlier this month of a reporter asking him if the retirement rumors were true and what is next for him. This caused quite the stir on social media, but it turned out to be an Amazon Prime Day ad and had nothing to do with his status for next season.

The subject came up again this weekend at Fanatics Fest in New York. While speaking on a panel with NFL legend Tom Brady and San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama, James admitted that he can’t play “that much further.”

LeBron then joked that Wembanyama and the next generation of NBA stars could send him into retirement even sooner, via Anthony Rivardo of Empire Sports Media:

LeBron James says he can’t tell how much longer he’ll keep playing, but if Wemby keeps “smacking his fucking shots into the stands” he might have to retire sooner

pic.twitter.com/1OzBKjWALb

— Anthony Rivardo (@Anthony_Rivardo) June 21, 2025

Wembanyama was arguably the most anticipated prospect since James when he was taken with the No. 1 overall pick by the Spurs in the 2023 NBA Draft.

Wemby won unanimous NBA Rookie of the Year honors and was in the middle of another historic campaign before a blood clot in his right shoulder prematurely ended his second season. He likely would have won Defensive Player of the Year if not for the injury.

Even with the competition getting tougher, James has more than held his own in the twilight of his career. This past season once again saw him fill the stat sheet en route to making the All-NBA Second Team.

James has a player option with the Lakers for the 2025-26 NBA season that he has yet to pick up yet, so it remains to be seen how much longer he will play. LeBron has accomplished virtually everything possible, including sharing the court with his son Bronny.

Tom Brady gives LeBron James his flowers​

Maybe the only athlete who knows what it feels like to be as successful as LeBron James late into his career is Tom Brady, who played 23 seasons and won seven Super Bowls.

Brady took his offseason training just as seriously as James and recently gave flowers to the Lakers star for being the greatest ever because of it.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-vid...or-wembanyama-might-send-him-into-retirement/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Lakers News: Quincy Olivari Discusses Summer League Plans

The 2025 NBA Finals have come to an end, which means the offseason can officially get underway for the Los Angeles Lakers.

It is expected to be a busy one as the NBA Draft takes place on Wednesday and Thursday before the start of free agency next week. After that, Summer League is just around the corner with the Lakers again participating in both the California Classic and Las Vegas Summer Leagues.

The Lakers’ Summer League roster won’t be finalized until after the draft, but one player who could be on the team is Quincy Olivari, who starred for them last summer to earn himself a two-way contract. While Olivari is planning to play this summer though, he’s not yet sure if it will be with the Lakers.

“I will definitely be in Summer League,” Olivari told Lakers Nation in an exclusive interview. “Talking with my agent, still kind of working through our options, analyzing different situations. Obviously I love the Lakers franchise but I gotta figure out what’s best for me. I’ve done a couple free agent minicamps and I’ve gone to some teams and got some great feedback, which is also giving me a lot of confidence about what I’ve been doing this summer has been working. But I will definitely be in Summer League, for sure.”

Olivari also discussed his focus this summer as he looks to make an NBA roster.

“Ever since April, I have been out in Austin, Texas working out at the University of Texas,” Olivari said. “My college coach is now the head coach at Texas, Coach Miller, and so I brought my strength coach from Atlanta and I’ve been working with Zach Urbanus, who’s out here in Austin and we’ve been at it every day except Sunday. Monday morning, 7:30 I lift and then I come back home and eat, and I go shoot again and then I go do some conditioning. It’s almost like a 12-hour day every day. My mantra for next year is to be undeniable.

“It’s no question that this kid belongs, that this kid can play. He’s gonna make mistakes, but he’s got it and we’re willing to work with him so once he gets it, we’ll see it. I’ve been kind of like talking to Kurt Rambis on and off throughout this summer and kind of like checking in on him, he’s been asking me what I’ve been working on, like my reads off the ball screen and being able to drive left comfortably and finish around the basket, other ways to kind of find my shot after a pick-and-roll or just like working on catch-and-shoot 3s in the corner.

“Just simple things that will help my game and it will really help. I’m just excited. Next season I want to be undeniable, that’s the biggest thing I’m taking into it. I know I’m gonna make mistakes, I know at times I’m gonna make the wrong decision on the court, I’m not gonna play a whole Summer League season or a whole NBA season with zero turnovers, but just making those reads and being more effective around the basket and just continuing to have fun and spread positive light. This game is beautiful when it’s played the right way and I’m just so locked in on being undeniable. There’s days I don’t want to work out, days I don’t want to do extra reps and I just close my eyes and I’m like ‘This is going to be worth it.’ You gotta be undeniable if you want to be one of the best.”

The Lakers don’t have a first-round pick this year, so they might be the best opportunity for Olivari to get playing time in Summer League to showcase his growth to the league. Regardless of where he ends up though, there’s no doubt that all Lakers fans will be rooting for Olivari’s success.

Bronny James to play Summer League for Lakers​

If Quincy Olivari winds up on the Lakers’ Summer League team then he will again be sharing a backcourt with Bronny James, who has already confirmed that he plans on playing.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-news-quincy-olivari-discusses-summer-league-plans/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Lakers Rumors: Sealing ‘Organizational Leaks’ Has Been Focus Over Last Year

The Los Angeles Lakers may not have won the NBA Championship in 2024-25, but the franchise and fanbase have to be feeling elated with how this past year has transpired.

The Lakers hired head coach JJ Redick to lead the team and he outperformed expectations, leading the Lakers to a 50-win season in his first year on the job. Next, Los Angeles was able to land Luka Doncic in a blockbuster deal that no one saw coming, securing their next franchise pillar. Lastly, Mark Walter purchased a majority stake in the Lakers, which means the franchise will have an influx of cash to bolster the organization from top to bottom.

All these positive changes for Los Angeles will have ripple effects now and for the long-term, signaling the start of a new era. It’s hard not to be excited about where the Lakers are heading as they’ve got both the talent and resources to give themselves an even better chance to win another title.

For being one of the biggest franchises in the NBA, L.A. does well keeping its business quiet and that has been a focus for the past year, according to Dan Woike of The Athletic:

Some of these decisions, though, haven’t been saving cash. Over the last year or so, the team has focused on sealing off organizational leaks that it felt were detrimental. Tightening the circle around the very top decision-makers allowed the team to pull off a trio of major surprises — their pursuit of UConn coach Dan Hurley, their stunning trade for Luka Dončić and the record-setting $10 billion sale. There’s been an obvious preference to do business more in the shadows, and that has its advantages.

The Lakers have come a long way in terms of how they operate as leaks were a common occurrence under the previous regime. In the modern NBA, information has a way of finding its way to the public but L.A.’s done an excellent job of keeping business dealings under wraps.

The offseason is already off to an exciting start as multiple trades have reportedly been agreed to, so it’ll be interesting to see what the Lakers do in the coming weeks.

Dave Roberts warns Lakers to stay away from Shohei Ohtani​

Mark Walter has an excellent reputation in sports for his commitment to winning. The Los Angeles Dodgers have benefitted from having Walter own the team as he’s shown a willingness to spend on the best players in the world to win.

Shohei Ohtani has been everything the Dodgers could have hoped for after signing a record $10-year, $700 million contract, but manager Dave Roberts jokingly warned the Lakers to stay away from him following the sale to Walter.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-rumors-sealing-organizational-leaks-has-been-focus-over-last-year/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Buss Family & Mark Walter Announce Lakers’ Majority Ownership Sale

The Los Angeles Lakers announced that the Buss family has officially sold a majority stake in the organization to Mark Walter, who is the CEO and chairman of TWG Global and was already a minority owner.

Walter is also the majority owner of the L.A. Dodgers and Sparks, so the Los Angeles sports world is coming together as one with him taking over the Lakers. Walter also holds ownership stake in the Billie Jean King Cup, the Cadillac Formula 1 Team and the Professional Women’s Hockey League.

This sale did not come cheap as recent reports have indicated that Walter is purchasing the team at a $10 billion valuation, which is a record for a sports franchise.

Dr. Jerry Buss originally bought the Lakers in 1979 for $67.5 million and his kids took over when he passed away in 2013. Under the Buss family’s watch, the Lakers won 11 championships and developed into the premiere franchise in all of sports.

“From the day our father purchased the Lakers, we have been determined to deliver what the City of Los Angeles deserves and demands: a team that is committed to winning — relentlessly — and to doing so with passion and with style,” Jeanie Buss said in a statement. “I have gotten to know Mark very well over time and been delighted to learn how he shares those same values. For the last four years, Mark has been an excellent partner to us, and we are thrilled to keep working with him to continue the Lakers’ extraordinary legacy.”

Walter also expressed his appreciation to the Buss family for the work they’ve done with the team.

“The Lakers have long been one of the most iconic franchises in sports,” said Walter. “Since Dr. Jerry Buss first purchased the team in 1979, they have truly set the standard for basketball in one era after another, which is why you can find people anywhere in the world wearing Lakers shirts and jerseys.”

Walter continued, “I admire what he, Jeanie and the Buss family have built, and I know how much this special organization matters to Southern Californians and to sports fans everywhere. I also have tremendous respect for Jeanie’s continued commitment to maintaining the Lakers’ long-term vision and elite status, and I’m excited to work with her on the next era.”

The Lakers’ sale is expected to close in the third or fourth quarter of 2025, subject to customary closing conditions including obtaining NBA approval.

Jeanie Buss expected to continue running Lakers​

Despite selling their majority stake in the Lakers, reports indicate that Jeanie Buss is expected to move forward as the governor of the organization and will “continue to oversee all team operations on a day-to-day basis for the foreseeable future,” according to the press release.

It remains to be seen exactly how long that will be, but it’s clear that the Buss family wants to remain involved with the Lakers moving forward.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/buss-family-mark-walter-announce-lakers-majority-ownership-sale/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Lakers Rumors: RJ Davis, Augustas Marčiulionis, Arthur Kaluma Sign Exhibit 10 Contracts

The 2025 NBA Draft has come and gone and the Los Angeles Lakers were able to add some talent to the organization on Day 2, trading up twice and landing Arkansas wing Adou Thiero with the No. 36 overall pick in the second round.

They then went to work on the undrafted free agent market, inking a two-way contract with forward Eric Dixon, who led all of NCAA in scoring last season. He joins Trey Jemison on a two-way deal with L.A.

As the Lakers look to fill out their Summer League roster, they have added a few undrafted free agents on Exhibit 10 contracts in RJ Davis, Augustas Marčiulionis and Arthur Kaluma, according to various reports:

The Lakers signed former UNC guard RJ Davis to an Exhibit 10 deal, sources told ESPN.

— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) June 27, 2025

NEWS: Saint Mary's PG Augustas Marčiulionis will agree to an Exhibit 10 deal with the LA Lakers, a source told ESPN.

The two-time WCC player of the year missed the pre-draft process with a foot injury but will be healthy in late July. Son of hall of famer Šarūnas Marčiulionis. pic.twitter.com/Mrk0FrIeW0

— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) June 27, 2025

Texas F Arthur Kaluma is signing an Exhibit 10 deal with the Lakers, league source tells @TheAthletic. Four-year double-digit scorer in college

— Dan Woike (@DanWoikeSports) June 27, 2025

Davis played five years at North Carolina and was an All-American in 2023-24. In 175 career games with the Tar Heels, the 6’0″ point guard averaged 15.6 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists while shooting 36.7% from 3-point range.

Marčiulionis is a 6’4″ guard that played four years at St. Mary’s and improved each season. In 35 games his senior year, the Lithuania native put up 14.2 points, 3.1 rebounds and 5.9 assists per game on 44.6% shooting and 34.7% from 3.

Kaluma is another college senior that spent two years at Creighton and one year at Kansas State before finishing up at Texas. He brings some size to the table at 6’7″ and 220 pounds, as well as some versatility after averaging 12.3 points, 7.5 rebounds, 19 assists, 0.9 steals and 0.9 blocks per game in his final collegiate season with the Longhorns.

The Lakers will likely continue to add more players to their Summer League roster, which could also potentially include Bronny James and Dalton Knecht, although the latter is not yet confirmed.

Rob Pelinka comments on Lakers’ roster needs​

Everyone knows the Lakers have a need at the center position heading into free agency, and Rob Pelinka will shift his focus to that now that the draft is over.

“Coming off the draft, we’ll be digging deep in meetings upstairs just prepping for free agency. As I said at the end of the year, we know one of the things we have to address is the center position and that’s clearly gonna be one of our focuses as we begin the free agency period. And that’s right around the corner, so we’re just looking forward to putting in the hard work and making sure we take care of all the needs on the roster to give JJ the tools he needs for this team to be great next season.”

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-rum...onis-arthur-kaluma-sign-exhibit-10-contracts/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Lakers Rumors: ‘No Signs’ Luka Doncic Won’t Agree To Extension

Rob Pelinka and the Los Angeles Lakers front office are busy trying to put a championship-contending roster together, although arguably their most important business this offseason involves Luka Doncic.

The Slovenian star is eligible for a contract extension in August, and the Lakers would obviously love to lock him up long-term after trading for Doncic at the deadline last season.

The Lakers need to put together a roster that is good enough to convince Doncic to sign on the dotted line, but all indications are that he is expected to do that, especially after the organization’s recent sale to Mark Walter, per Dave McMenamin of ESPN:

On Aug. 2, the Lakers can offer Doncic a four-year, $229 million extension. Doncic could also opt to sign a three-year, $165 million extension with a player option in 2028, per Marks, which would then allow him to sign a max deal in 2028 that would give him 35% of the salary cap for five seasons.

While the exact salary scenario Doncic and the Lakers land on remains to be seen, there’s no signs of a split anytime soon. A source close to Doncic told ESPN that Walter’s purchase was a positive development.

“You always want the wealthiest owners, so that speaks for itself,” the source said. “And his track record speaks for itself. … [Doncic] wants to win. This owner’s proven that he wants to win. So this is a plus-plus.”

Additionally, Doncic remains motivated by how the Dallas Mavericks treated him in the aftermath of the trade and how the Lakers’ season ended, and has committed to an offseason training and nutrition program, sources told ESPN.

Doncic has already been through an ownership change before in Dallas and that led to him being shockingly traded, so it is good to see that he is seemingly on board and excited about the Lakers’ sale to Walter.

Of course, the Lakers will need to make adequate moves this offseason in order for Doncic to want to sign the extension, but he has maintained since the trade that he likes L.A. and wants to stay long-term.

Luka Doncic committed to conditioning this offseason​

If the Lakers are gonna get back into championship contention, not only will they need to upgrade their roster, but they also will need Luka Doncic playing at the First Team All-NBA level that he has for most of his career.

And in order for that to happen, he will need to be in better shape than he was this past season. The good news is that recent reports indicate that Doncic is committed to his conditioning this offseason, already undergoing an impressive body transformation.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-rumors-no-signs-luka-doncic-wont-agree-to-extension/