Lakers Team Notes

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Find out the latest LA Lakers news.

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Former Lakers Forward Stanley Johnson Acquired By South Bay

The South Bay Lakers announced they have acquired forward Stanley Johnson via trade with the Rip City Remix in exchange for the returning player rights to guard Devonte’ Graham, forward Vincent Valerio-Bodon and a 2026 second-round draft pick.

Johnson is a familiar face that played 48 games (27 starts) for the Lakers during the 2021-22 season and averaged 6.7 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.7 assists.

He originally was selected eighth overall in the first round of the 2015 NBA Draft by the Detroit Pistons. Across eight NBA seasons playing for San Antonio (2022-23), Los Angeles (2021-22), Toronto (2019-21), New Orleans (2018-19) and Detroit (2015-19), the 28-year-old appeared in 449 regular season games (104 starts), averaging 6.2 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 19.8 minutes.

Johnson has played in 49 total G League games (12 starts) across five seasons for Stockton (2023-24), Sioux Falls (2022-23), South Bay (2021-22), Raptors 905 (2019-20) and Grand Rapids (2016-17), averaging 15.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.4 steals in 28.7 minutes. He became South Bay’s 40th call-up in franchise history, signing with the Lakers on Dec. 24, 2021, after averaging 15.3 points, 6.7 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.7 steals in 30.6 minutes in six games (all starts).

The California native that attended Mater Dei in Santa Ana played one collegiate season at Arizona in 2014-15 and averaged 13.8 points, 6.5 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.5 steals in 28.4 minutes. At the conclusion of the season, Johnson was awarded the Julius Erving Award, named Pac-12 Rookie of the Year, earned All-Pac-12 First Team honors and selected to the conference’s all-freshman team.

Graham is another veteran with NBA experience that South Bay acquired earlier this year. In eight Tip-Off Tournament and regular season games for South Bay this season, he averaged 13.4 points, 1.5 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 1.3 steals in 30.9 minutes.

Valerio-Bodon appeared in 64 Tip-Off Tournament and regular season games (14 starts) across two seasons for South Bay from 2023-25 and averaged 6.3 points, 2.8 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.0 steals in 20.6 minutes.

The addition of Johnson will give South Bay a point of attack defender after Jordan Goodwin recently landed a two-way contract with the Lakers, leaving a bit of a void.

Johnson played for Anadolu Efes Istanbul in Turkey to start this season although his minutes were limited in 17 games.

At just 28 years of age, it will be interesting to see how Johnson looks to finish out the season in the G League. If he plays well for South Bay, it could lead to an NBA callup from the Lakers or elsewhere.

Lakers sign Alex Len, waive Christian Wood​

The Lakers also made another recent addition to the organization with the signing of Alex Len, waiving Christian Wood in order to open up a roster spot.

Len will give the Lakers some much-needed frontcourt depth, although JJ Redick will likely opt to go small at times as well.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/former-lakers-forward-stanley-johnson-acquired-by-south-bay/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Lakers Rumors: Alex Len Contract Details

Following the failed trade for Mark Williams, the Los Angeles Lakers managed to find a pivot for their center problem as they waived Christian Wood to make room to sign Alex Len.

Len most recently played for the Sacramento Kings during the 2024-25 season but was traded to the Washington Wizards at the trade deadline. However, Len was waived by the Wizards which cleared the way for him to sign with a new team. It was reported that Len was set to sign with the Indiana Pacers, but the opportunity to play for Los Angeles was enough for him to change his mind.

While Williams was slated to start had he been acquired, Len will likely be brought off the bench as Jaxson Hayes has played much better as of late. Regardless, Len should have a role off the bench as a bigger body who can rebound and block shots.

Regarding his contract, it appears the veteran big man signed for the NBA’s veteran minimum but at a prorated amount, via Keith Smith of Spotrac:

Alex Len signed with the Los Angeles Lakers on a prorated veteran minimum contract, a league source confirmed for @spotrac.

That leaves the Lakers with enough room under the second-apron hard cap for another prorated veteran minimum signing, should they want to make one.

— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) February 12, 2025

Free agents who sign a veteran’s minimum at this point of the regular season cost far less than if they signed in the offseason, so financially adding Len makes a lot of sense for Los Angeles who are above the first apron. As Smith notes, though, the most intriguing thing is that the Lakers have enough room under the second apron to make an additional signing.

The new CBA has largely restricted teams from making moves, though in this case the front office has some flexibility if they feel like another player is needed to round out the roster. Another player would need to be waived to make room as the team is at the 15-man roster limit, but that would be a small price to pay if L.A. identifies someone who can come in and play a role.

Jaxson Hayes’ mentality mentality hasn’t changed despite Alex Len signing​

Jaxson Hayes has looked like a different player in recent weeks as he’s grown more comfortable in his starting role. While Alex Len’s arrival might eat into his minutes, Hayes said his mentality doesn’t change when it comes to his newfound opportunity.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-rumors-alex-len-contract-details/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Luka Doncic: Calf Is Feeling Good But Play Was ‘Rusty’ In First Two Games With Lakers

After missing more than six weeks with a left calf strain, Luka Doncic returned to action this week in the Los Angeles Lakers’ two games against the Utah Jazz to close out the first half before the All-Star break.

The Lakers split the two games and Doncic clearly did not look like his usual self, which could be expected when coming off a significant injury and joining a new team he’s never played with before. Not to mention that Doncic is on a minutes restriction and only played 23.5 minutes on average in the two games, putting up 15.0 points, 4.5 rebounds and 4.0 assists while shooting 40.7% from the field and 26.7% from 3-point range.

After Wednesday loss to the Jazz, Doncic discussed the potential of this Lakers team although admitted he has felt rusty in the two games he has played, via Spectrum SportsNet:

“I think we can go very far. Obviously today I felt very rusty, only two games in from my injury. Turnovers, missed free throws, I can do way better. But now I think we’re approaching this break, so we gotta rest. For me, I think it’s more of a mental rest that anything else. But still gotta work. I’m excited about this break and I can’t wait to get back to play.”

The good news though is that Doncic’s struggles have been due to rust and not his calf giving him issues:

“It’s good. Still getting back in rhythm. You can’t really practice 5-on-5 stuff like you do in the game. I’m just happy to be back out there and trying to win and trying to play games.”

The All-Star break comes at a perfect time as it will give Doncic some more time to rest his calf to ensure he is 100% healthy for the second half. It will also give him and the Lakers some much-needed time on the practice court so they can build some chemistry as a unit.

Overall, the Lakers are in a really good spot at 32-20 heading into the break. If Doncic can remain healthy, then they should be ready to take off even more coming out of the break.

Luka Doncic admits to feeling nervous in Lakers debut​

Not only has Luka Doncic needed to knock off the rust since returning from his calf injury, but he also admitted to feeling some nerves in his Lakers debut.

“Special. The way they received me, everybody, it was amazing to see. I was a little nervous before. I mean, I don’t know the last time I was nervous before a game,” Doncic said. “But once I stepped on the court, it was fun. Just being out there again felt amazing.”

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/luka-donci...lay-was-rusty-in-first-two-games-with-lakers/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

JJ Redick: All-Star Break Will Be Key For Lakers Getting Players Healthy

The NBA All-Star break has arrived, and the Los Angeles Lakers have six days off between games. Only LeBron James and Dalton Knecht are representing L.A. at any events in San Francisco, meaning head coach JJ Redick and the rest of the staff and roster have a chance to have a real break in the middle of the season.

The Lakers were playing some of their best basketball in the games leading up to the break, but it was clear in their final game against the Utah Jazz that they may have been hitting some sort of wall. They got absolutely blown out by the Jazz just two days after doing the same thing to them in Los Angeles.

Still, L.A. got to the break in a better place than anyone would have anticipated at the start of the year. They are 32-20 in fifth place in the Western Conference with a sizable gap between them and the No. 6 L.A. Clippers. So for the break, Redick is just hoping for rest, recovery and health for the Lakers’ key players, via Spectrum SportsNet:

“I think the biggest thing is just getting all of our key guys healthy. Bron has put in a lot, AR has put in a lot. Those guys need a break. Luka continuing to build towards being able to play his normal minutes and being in game shape. The reality is he took six weeks off and is working his way back still. Getting Doe and Gabe back. I think when our group is healthy, we can compete at a very high level.”

While the Lakers have a very talented roster that can compete at a championship level, they don’t have the same margin for error as some of the other top teams in the league. They still need all their pieces working at their best, given the lack of defensive depth on the roster.

That was clear against the Jazz on Wednesday. And that’s why Redick is simply looking for the Lakers to get healthy with the six days off.

JJ Redick explains Cam Reddish’s absence​

The Lakers believed they had acquired their center of the future in dealing away Dalton Knecht, Cam Reddish and draft picks to the Charlotte Hornets for Mark Williams. However, after a failed physical revealed issues the Lakers weren’t willing to overlook, the trade was ultimately rescinded, meaning Knecht and Reddish would remain with the team.

This could make for an awkward situation as returning to a team that traded you away is a bit weird. Knecht is already back in purple and gold, suiting up and contributing 10 points off the bench in the Lakers’ loss to the Jazz on Wednesday night, but Reddish has been conspicuously absent due to personal reasons. He was away from the team before the trade went down and has not yet returned.

This is for a good reason, however, as head coach JJ Redick revealed that Reddish is with his family after welcoming a daughter into the world.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/jj-redick-all-star-break-will-be-key-for-lakers-getting-players-healthy/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Lakers News: Luka Doncic Believes JJ Redick Is ‘Great’ Head Coach

The Los Angeles Lakers took a surprising gamble for the now and the future by trading for Luka Doncic in a blockbuster deal before the deadline. Given Doncic’s shocking availability on the trade market, L.A. could not pass up on that opportunity.

As the Lakers head into All-Star break to prepare for another late-season push to solidify their playoff seeding, head coach JJ Redick is given a tough task. He has to try and fit in a top-three star to his team in Doncic while also keeping things rolling as they have been playing extremely well in recent weeks. So, trying to fit in an unselfish superstar presents a great challenge for Redick and his staff.

Now that the five-time All-NBA guard got two games under his belt, he is beginning to see what his new head coach wants to accomplish offensively. Despite an ugly showing against the Utah Jazz on Thursday heading into the break, Doncic spoke highly of Redick, who he played with in Dallas, via Spectrum SportsNet:

“Great. He’s a great coach. I know it’s only his first year, but it doesn’t feel like it. It feels like he’s been here for 15 years. So props to him and I can’t wait to be coached more by him.”

This is telling for how things are going so far because moving teams mid-season is never easy, especially for Doncic, who thought he remain a Dallas Maverick for his entire career. However, having that familiarity with Redick dating back to a little stint with the Mavericks helps both parties hit the ground running.

The 25-year-old star will have to adjust playing off the ball more with LeBron James and Austin Reaves being capable on-ball creators. But, the vision is there up to this point offensively with Doncic being involved in actions when he does not have the ball.

It is safe to assume more hurdles are coming L.A.’s way, presumably defensively, as trading away Anthony Davis and Max Christie hurt their defensive personnel. Although, when Doncic, James and Reaves are playing off of one another, Redick could find himself with a high-caliber offense come playoff time.

Luka Doncic looking forward to ‘mental break’ during All-Star weekend​

The All-Star break could not have come at a better time for Luka Doncic as he had to deal with all sorts of emotion since the blockbuster trade. Admittedly, Doncic is ready to have a ‘mental health’ break as the Lakers are off for a week before they return to action.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-news-luka-doncic-believes-jj-redick-is-great-head-coach/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Adam Silver: Hornets Not Protesting Lakers’ Decision To Rescind Trade For Mark Williams

The Los Angeles Lakers thought they had acquired their new starting center when they completed a trade with the Charlotte Hornets ahead of the deadline for Mark Williams.

It came at a steep price as the Lakers gave up Dalton Knecht, Cam Reddish, a 2030 pick swap and a 2031 unprotected first round pick, but many pundits thought it was worth it considering the team was in dire need of a center after trading Anthony Davis for Luka Doncic.

Ultimately though, the trade ended up being rescinded after the Lakers found issues with Williams’ physical. The big man has already dealt with back, knee and ankle injuries in his young career, and the Lakers obviously did not feel comfortable following through with the deal after they got him in their building.

With that, Williams was sent back to Charlotte while Knecht, Reddish and the assets went back to L.A.

The saga was not done there, however, as reports came out that the Hornets were trying to challenge the league’s decision to rescind the trade. That left the players in limbo for even longer as Knecht was with the Lakers for their game against the Utah Jazz on Monday night but did not suit up. He then played on Wednesday though and represented the Lakers during the Rising Stars game during All-Star weekend.

At his annual All-Star weekend press conference, NBA commissioner Adam Silver revealed that the Hornets are not actually protesting, so the case is essentially closed.

“No. Charlotte has not filed a protest of any kind,” Silver said.

Now that this saga is over, the Lakers can focus on the rest of the season and how they can compete for a championship with the roster they have in place. Even though it would be nice to have another starting center in place, the Lakers have been playing at an extremely high level in recent weeks and feel they can compete with anyone once they build some more chemistry.

It’s likely awkward for guys like Williams and Knecht going back to their former teams, but it’s understandable why the Lakers did not want to give up so many valuable assets for a center that has so many injury concerns.

Outside of Jaxson Hayes though, L.A. did not have a full-time center on the roster with Williams no longer being added. They didn’t take long to address that though, bringing in Alex Len after he was waived by the Washington Wizards

Lakers feel they ‘dodged bullet’ by rescinding Mark Williams trade​

It’s unclear what the Lakers found when they gave Mark Williams a physical, but reports indicate the organization feels it ‘dodged a bullet’ by not following through with a trade for the Hornets center.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/adam-silve...-decision-to-rescind-trade-for-mark-williams/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Austin Reaves Believes Lakers Are In ‘Great Spot’ Heading Into All-Star Break

It has been an up-and-down season for the Los Angeles Lakers, but with the All-Star break now here the team finds itself right in the mix of a very competitive Western Conference. Following the blockbuster trade for Luka Doncic, the Lakers now have one of the best three-man groups in the NBA with Doncic joining LeBron James and Austin Reaves to form a trio of outstanding, high IQ playmakers.

The Lakers didn’t end the first half of the season well, going into the All-Star break a disappointing performance against the Utah Jazz. But prior to that the team had won seven straight games and 11 of the last 12, and Reaves feels they are in a great spot now.

Despite being disappointed in the loss, Reaves spoke about where the Lakers stand, feeling that the team has been playing great overall, via Spectrum SportsNet:

“We’re in a great spot. We’ve been playing really great basketball other than tonight was a slip up. But you have those and I feel like we’re in a really good spot.”

The Lakers currently sit fifth in the Western Conference at 32-20, but are just two losses behind the Memphis Grizzlies for second. If the Lakers are able to come together and play at their highest level, there is a good chance this team can climb higher in the standings.

But Reaves is also looking forward to the All-Star break and feels that it gives himself and his teammates an opportunity to relax and reset before getting ready for this home stretch:

“Gonna get me some time to sit down and sleep and just relax. I think at this point of the year everybody is a little fatigued mentally, physically. So it gives everybody and opportunity to kind of reset and attack the last however many games there is.”

Reaves is one of the most important pieces of this Lakers team and his play is imperative to the success of this team. The West is packed, but the Lakers have the talent to really make some noise and Reaves will be ready to go when they come back from break.

Lakers’ Austin Reaves discusses sharing the floor with LeBron James and Luka Doncic​

The fact that Austin Reaves is able to play next to a pair of all-time talents in LeBron James and Luka Doncic is not lost on the young guard. And following their first game together, Reaves discussed what it was like to share the floor with them, and what they are capable of together.

“I just think it could be a thing of beauty,” Reaves said. “The way we can manipulate the game on the offensive end and get what we want every single possession. Luka is one of the best passers in the world, and that’s why I just–I’m sure you already knew–but six for six, I think they were almost all lobs, if not all lobs.

“We could’ve had a couple more, Bron (LeBron James) threw one out of bounds. But yeah, I think it’s just the high-level IQ going along with pieces that really fit. We can shoot the ball, pass the ball and really play to get it the right way.”

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/austin-rea...re-in-great-spot-heading-into-all-star-break/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Lakers News: LeBron James Not Playing In All-Star Game Due To Ankle Discomfort

Los Angeles Lakers record LeBron James extended his record by being elected to a 21st NBA All-Star Game, being named a starter in the Western Conference amid another exception season at age 40.

James was the first overall selection by Shaquille O’Neal in the All-Star draft, but it appears he will not be taking the court.

“You won’t see anything from me tonight. Unfortunately, I will not be in uniform tonight,” James said when speaking to the media on Sunday afternoon. “Still dealing with ankle and foot discomfort so I will not be playing tonight, unfortunately. I hate that. But I’m looking forward to seeing the format, this is the first year for it and I know we got a lot of great players, they call us the OGs, that’s hilarious. We do got a lot of guys with grey hairs so that makes sense. But that should be fun. I saw a quote the other day how [Dalton Knecht] was excited to play against me, but I guess I’ll see him at practice and hopefully we can go at it then.”

As James alluded to, Lakers rookie Dalton Knecht was looking forward to squaring off with James after he earned his spot in the game by winning the Rising Stars Challenge.

LeBron James focused on rest of Lakers’ season​

James has been dealing with foot and ankle discomfort for a while now, so he is being cautious and focusing on the rest of the Lakers’ season.

“I was hoping it would feel a lot better this morning. But it’s not where I want it to be,” James said. “With 30 games left and we’re trying to make a playoff push in the wild, wild West, I felt like it was very important for me to take care of myself and understand what’s coming on. I don’t want to say it’s maintenance, it is maintenance, but at the same time, I have to look out for myself when it comes to this injury that I’ve been dealing with for years. I hope to be available Wednesday. We have to have a makeup game, so I am headed back to L.A. tonight.

“There will be no vacation for me, I’ll head back to L.A. tonight and back to rehab tomorrow and getting ready for practice on Tuesday and hopefully I can play against Charlotte on Wednesday and hopefully Portland on Thursday. It’s a big stretch for us.”

The Lakers currently sit at 32-20 and have been playing some of their best basketball, so it makes sense for LeBron to prioritize getting healthy instead of playing in the All-Star Game.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-new...ing-in-all-star-game-due-to-ankle-discomfort/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Lakers News: Dalton Knecht Enjoyed First NBA All-Star Weekend Experience

Los Angeles Lakers rookie Dalton Knecht has been through a lot in the past few weeks after being told he was traded to the Charlotte Hornets and then eventually sent back to L.A. with the deal being rescinded.

Knecht has been consistent all along in saying that he just wants to play basketball, and this past weekend gave him a chance to do that. Knecht was named to the Rising Stars Game and with the new format change, he got the chance to play in the actual NBA All-Star Game on Sunday night after his team won on Friday.

This marked the first time that Rising Stars got to participate in the All-Star Game with the league’s brightest stars, and Knecht cleared enjoyed the experience.

“Sure. I think it’s kind of fun how they had us set up with the old heads with the young stars and then Rising Stars. I think that’s pretty cool,” Knecht said.

Knecht and the Rising Stars found themselves in an early deficit against Shaq’s OG but were able to keep things close. Knecht had a nice spurt of five straight points and scored eight total to give his team a late lead.

Damian Lillard ultimately beat them with a game-winner, but Knecht still liked the way his team competed.

“Yeah, for sure. I think, like I said, after that second timeout, we really started to pick it up,” Knecht added.

The whole weekend was a fun one for Knecht, who stated his desire to perhaps participate in a future Slam Dunk Contest. The focus now shifts back to the Lakers season though and Knecht is happy to have a couple of days to rest and regroup before the second half.

“It’ll be good. Go back, I have my family here, so just going to chill with them, get some dinner and go back to L.A. now and just relax for a day, less than a day.”

The Lakers will likely have one practice on Tuesday before returning to the court on Wednesday night against the Hornets, who would have been Knecht’s new team had the trade not been rescinded.

Dalton Knecht laughs off Draymond Green’s comments​

One person who was not happy with the NBA’s format change to have the Rising Stars compete in the All-Star Game was Draymond Green. He was adamant that shouldn’t be allowed, but Dalton Knecht just laughed off the Golden State Warriors’ star’s comments when they were brought to his attention.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-news-dalton-knecht-enjoyed-first-nba-all-star-weekend-experience/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Lakers News: New Luka Doncic & Kobe Bryant Mural Goes Up In L.A.

The Los Angeles Lakers were able to acquire Luka Doncic in a shocking trade with the Dallas Mavericks before the deadline, giving them a superstar to build around for years to come.

The last time the Lakers have a global superstar like Doncic that has not yet entered his prime was Kobe Bryant. He wound up playing 20 seasons for the team and won five championships, so expectations are obviously high for Doncic, who is coming off his first NBA Finals appearance in Dallas.

Doncic’s relationship with Bryant goes back a while as he grew up idolizing him in Slovenia. As a member of the Mavericks, he met Kobe and his daughter Gianna while attending a Lakers game just weeks before they passed.

During that game, Doncic famously heard someone sitting courtside talking smack to him in Slovenian. When he turned around, of course it was Bryant, who said he learned the language so he could talk trash to former teammate Sasha Vujacic in practice.

That night was captured with a photo of Doncic and Bryant, and now it has been turned into a mural in L.A. on Melrose Ave. with the former being traded to the Lakers:

The new Luka Doncic and Kobe Bryant mural in LA

At 8251 Melrose Ave by artoon_art pic.twitter.com/Meg16KJPa1

— Kobe & Gianna Bryant Murals (@kobemurals) February 17, 2025

The mural depicts the photo of Doncic and Bryant from that night, although Luka is now wearing a gold Lakers jersey instead of a blue Mavericks one.

There is certainly a lot of pressure on Doncic to bring greatness back to the Lakers organization, much like Bryant did in the early 2000s, but if anyone is up for the task, it is the 25-year-old.

Luka Doncic wished Gianna & Kobe Bryant could be at Lakers introductory press conference​

When Luka Doncic got traded to the Lakers, once of the first people he thought of was Kobe Bryant. In fact, he mentioned at his introductory press conference that he wishes Bryant and his daughter Gianna could have been there.

“First of all, I remember that exact moment that happened,” Doncic said at his introductory press conference. “It always stayed in my mind. It was an amazing moment, just for Kobe to know my name was amazing for me. I just wish Kobe and Gigi were here to see this moment, and I’m excited about this new journey and happy to be here.”

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-news-new-luka-doncic-kobe-bryant-mural-goes-up-in-l-a/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Lakers Injury Report: LeBron James Questionable Vs. Hornets

The Los Angeles Lakers have released their injury report for their first game back from All-Star Weekend, a makeup game against the Charlotte Hornets that was postponed due to the Southern California wildfires.

Most notable is that superstar LeBron James (left foot soreness) is listed as questionable. He played in the Lakers’ final game prior to the All-Star break against the Utah Jazz, but LeBron would not participate in the All-Star game itself, sitting out due to the ongoing discomfort in that foot.

JJ Redick spoke about James after practice on Tuesday and discussed what the situation is with his foot.

“It’s something that we managed all year. It was sore over the weekend,” Redick said. “He was able to do most of practice today. But like it’s been all year, it’s a day-to-day thing. That’s something we’ve had to manage & will continue to manage the rest of the year.”

Elsewhere, Luka Doncic (left calf strain), Dorian Finney-Smith (left ankle soreness) and Gabe Vincent (left knee soreness) are all off the injury report, signaling they are good to go.

Of course Doncic has only recently returned from that calf strain he suffered on Christmas Day that kept him out for over a month. Since returning on the Lakers, Doncic has been on a minutes restriction and the franchise will continue to be careful in working him back in, although Redick revealed that his restriction will be lifted moving forward.

Both Finney-Smith and Vincent sat out the Lakers’ last game against the Jazz and their energy off the bench was sorely missed in the loss.

Finney-Smith is already one of the most trusted role players on the team and fits in any lineup, especially with his defensive versatility and 3-point shooting. Vincent, meanwhile, is finally looking like the player who shined when he was with the Miami Heat, and has been enjoying by far his best stretch of basketball since joining the Lakers.

The Lakers’ schedule is not easy coming out of the All-Star break as they will start off with a back-to-back, traveling to Portland to face the Trail Blazers on Thursday. They will then head to Denver for a third game in four nights with the Nuggets on Saturday. Whether this plays a factor in how the Lakers handle these players remains to be seen, but it’s reasonable to think that some will not play in all three games.

Luka Doncic already ‘impressed’ by Lakers’ front office attempted moves​

The Lakers’ trade for Luka Doncic was one that shocked the basketball world, but it also left the team with a big hole at center. The front office immediately looked to fix that with a trade for Mark Williams, but the Hornets big man failed a physical and the trade was rescinded.

But the quickness with which Rob Pelinka and the Lakers front office moved to get a big man that fit with what Doncic likes in a center really stood out to the guard. Doncic and his camp were reportedly impressed with the Lakers front office as they understood a big addition was more likely to come in the offseason.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-injury-report-lebron-james-questionable-vs-hornets/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Lakers News: Dalton Knecht Reveals Best Advice He’s Received Came From D’Angelo Russell

This has been an extremely eventful season for Los Angeles Lakers rookie Dalton Knecht. Along with the normal ups and downs that come with most rookies, Knecht has seen himself go from reserve to starter to basically out of the rotation at different points of the year.

Then came the trade deadline when he was dealt away to the Charlotte Hornets, only for the trade to be rescinded just before he was set to debut with his new team. Knecht then returned to the Lakers, which was surely an awkward situation, though he did play in one last game before All-Star Weekend. Knecht was then a participant in the Castrol Rising Stars with his team winning and moving on to play in Sunday’s All-Star Game.

Nonetheless, Knecht has had the opportunity to learn from some true NBA greats and is taking in a lot of information and advice. But according to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, Knecht revealed that the best advice he’s received this year actually came from former teammate D’Angelo Russell:

“D-Lo, he gave me the best advice. Right after a game, just move on. Don’t care about how you did. Just move on because you got the next game coming towards you. No matter how high or how low that game was, you got to move on and be ready to play the next one and get better.”

The Lakers of course traded away Russell in the deal that brought in Dorian Finney-Smith, but he was still able to impart some important wisdom to the rookie Knecht. That mindset is one that LeBron James preaches too as there is always another game coming so not getting too high after a good performance or too low after a bad one is so important.

Knecht has already dealt with a lot in his first season with the Lakers, but his ability to heed Russell’s advice will be crucial as the home stretch of the season begins and he hopes to help the Lakers in their push to the playoffs.

Dalton Knecht excited to learn from new Lakers teammate Luka Doncic​

The rescinded trade now has allowed for Dalton Knecht to return to the Lakers and the rookie is looking forward to learning from his new teammate Luka Doncic.

Knecht noted that he is glad to be back with the Lakers and is excited to be able to work with and learn from Doncic, adding that he has been fortunate to be able to learn from LeBron James and Anthony Davis, and now Doncic early on in his NBA career.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-new...dvice-hes-received-came-from-dangelo-russell/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Lakers News: Rich Paul Glad He Didn’t Know About Luka Doncic-Anthony Davis Trade Beforehand

The Los Angeles Lakers made one of the biggest trades in NBA history this deadline, and did so completely behind closed doors. With absolutely no rumors leaking, general manager Rob Pelinka swapped Anthony Davis, Max Christie and a 2029 first-round pick to the Dallas Mavericks for Luka Doncic. It signaled a seismic shift in the NBA, and was done with no one in the loop.

Only Pelinka, Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison and the two team owners knew about the deal. Not any of the players or their agents. This meant leaving out both Davis and his agent, Rich Paul of Klutch Sports, despite him being one of the most powerful agents in the game today. Harrison and Pelinka both explained that deals of this magnitude don’t happen once they become public knowledge.

Paul got the chance to speak about the trade and his client getting moved from Los Angeles to Dallas. And while he too was kept completely in the dark on the deal, he had a surprisingly positive outlook about the whole thing, via Gil’s Arena podcast with Gilbert Arenas:

“99.9 percent of the time, I’m going to know what’s going on. The one time I didn’t was the one time we all didn’t, per se, know what was going on. It was a shock to everybody. Who was in it was a shock. I always knew the affinity that was had for AD from Nico’s perspective, so the destination wasn’t really a shock. The timing of it was a shock, and obviously who was involved was a shock. But you don’t move mountains with everybody knowing. You can’t. And so, I’m glad I didn’t know, and I’m glad that whoever else didn’t know, because it probably wouldn’t have happened if you did know. Because now you start to open up the opinions and conversations and different cans of worms. So you can’t get those things done with people know.”

While many have criticized the Mavericks for moving on from Doncic at all — but especially the process behind it — Paul didn’t seem all that surprised once he knew all the details. And for his client in Davis, Dallas is a place where he will be completely supported given that relationship with Harrison.

So with all the hindsight, Paul is glad the trade was able to go through and applauded Pelinka and Harrison for staying discreet enough to get a deal of this magnitude done.

Luka Doncic unlikely to have minutes restrictions moving forward​

Luka Doncic had a strict minutes restriction in his first two games as a Laker, but after the All-Star break, head coach JJ Redick no longer anticipates the need for that. He said that Wednesday night against the Charlotte Hornets is unlikely to see restricted minutes for Doncic.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-new...t-luka-doncic-anthony-davis-trade-beforehand/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Lakers News: Austin Reaves Explains Ejection In Loss To Hornets

Austin Reaves has turned into a borderline All-Star during the 2024-25 season because of his leap on the offensive end.

Reaves handled primary ball handler responsibilities after the Los Angeles Lakers traded away D’Angelo Russell and he thrived in the new role. However, Reaves will go back to being more off ball after the Lakers acquired Luka Doncic.

Unfortunately for Reaves, he wasn’t much help for Los Angeles against the Charlotte Hornets as he was tossed out of the game after picking up two technical fouls. Reaves swung his arm in protest to earn the first technical and the official issued a second after the guard continued to complain about the missed call.

After the loss, Reaves explained what happened, took accountability for his ejection and vowed to be better going forward.

“I get the first one. Obviously, I approached him; I vocally said what I needed to say. And the second one, I was surprised, I’m walking away, and as soon as I heard the whistle, I kind of knew what had happened, but felt like it was quick. I’m walking away. Vando told me after the game that Rodney (Mott) said I said it three times, so I guess that third time is the charm of getting the second tech,” Reaves said.

“So I got to do better. I just don’t know the fine line of, I’ve been in the league for four years now, and I’ve heard many of many things said to the refs from certain people, and nothing to be done, I guess. But when it’s unexpected from somebody, that’s when I guess the biggest issues happen. So, like I said, I got to be better. I don’t need to put myself in that position. I felt like he missed the call. I don’t know, I haven’t seen it. So, I got to be better.”

The Lakers wound up losing to the Hornets 100-97, magnifying Reaves’ absence. Had he been available, Los Angeles might have staved off the loss and got back from the break on the right foot.

It’s not like Reaves to complain too much about officiating, so to see him so upset was a rarity. Knowing Reaves, though, he’ll be more careful when disagreeing with the referees.

Austin Reaves excited to have Dalton Knecht back with Lakers​

The Lakers received Dalton Knecht back after they rescinded their trade for Mark Williams. Although the situation was awkward at first, Austin Reaves said he was happy to have Knecht back.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-news-austin-reaves-explains-ejection-in-loss-to-hornets/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Luka Doncic Admits To Still Feeling Rusty After 3 Games With Lakers

Luka Doncic played his third game for the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday night, a loss to the Charlotte Hornets. It wasn’t a pretty showing for the Lakers star, as he finished with 14 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists on 5-for-18 from the field and 1-for-9 from beyond the arc.

In three games as a Laker, Doncic is shooting 16-for-45 from the field total and 5-for-24 from deep. That’s 35.6% and 20.8%, respectively. For someone with career shooting splits of 46.9/34.8/74.8, those numbers could look deeply concerning.

But some context shows why Doncic might be struggling. He had not played since Christmas Day prior to returning before the All-Star break, and in the meantime was shockingly sent from Dallas to L.A. with little to no warning. It’s understandable that he is not performing to his usual self just yet.

The Lakers have also undergone a complete identity shift by swapping Anthony Davis for Luka, and all of those factors have Doncic recognizing that things are not going to be perfect right away.

“Yeah, obviously, it’s going to take a little time,” Doncic said. “Today was a lot of rustiness on my part. Starting the game with four or five turnovers, that can’t happen. Just gotta play basketball the right way.”

What isn’t concerning Doncic, though, is the quality of shots he’s getting. He knows that he might just need some time before those shots start falling.

“I think it is good. Obviously, like I said, I’m going to need a little time just to adjust to everything,” he added. “But I think it was fine. Today, I think we had some good opportunities to make shots, but we didn’t make any shots, especially me. [It will] just take a little time to get used to it.”

None of this is changing his mindset or the way he approaches the game, even if his shot is far less efficient than usual.

“Yeah, just play the way I play. Just trying to stay aggressive and do some other things that could help to get a win. But just stay aggressive.”

Doncic is still happy with the mental break that All-Star gave him, but now that he’s back, he’s ready to get to work in figuring things out with his new team and getting his conditioning back.

“Honestly, I was getting my mind off basketball a little bit. But just excited to come back and play. I missed a lot of time, never missed this much time so it’s something new to me. But I was just excited to get back to playing,” Doncic said.

The Lakers certainly would like to get Luka into the flow of the offense as quickly as possible, as a Western Conference logjam means that too many losses in a row could result in losing ground in the standings. L.A. still has a somewhat comfortable gap before Play-In Tournament territory, but it could go away in a hurry.

Getting Doncic fully integrated is going to take time. But in the meantime, the Lakers still have to find a way to piece together wins.

Luka Doncic won’t have minutes restriction​

One of the things that could have been hurting prior to the All-Star break was that Luka Doncic had a minutes restriction in his first two games. That seems to have been lifted, as Doncic played 33 minutes against the Hornets despite being in foul trouble. Now, the Lakers can get a full sense of their rotation and where all the pieces fit together.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/luka-doncic-admits-to-still-feeling-rusty-after-3-games-with-lakers/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Luka Doncic ‘Happy’ To Be Part Of Lakers Organization After Having Time To Digest Trade

For many people in the basketball world, it still doesn’t seem real that the Los Angeles Lakers traded for superstar guard Luka Doncic. The Lakers now have their face of the franchise for the next decade and someone who will hopefully bring more championships to the organization.

The deal itself was an absolute shock, even to Doncic himself who felt that he would be with the Dallas Mavericks for his entire career. Doncic has spoken about the initial shock he experienced, but now that that has worn off, he has fully embraced being part of the Lakers.

“I’m happy to be here, man,” Doncic said after a recent loss to the Charlotte Hornets. “This is one of the greatest clubs in the world. Just happy to be here. Like I said, obviously I’m gonna need some time but I’m happy to represent the Lakers.”

The Lakers are one of the premier franchises, not just in basketball, but in all of sports. It is a recognizable brand internationally and has always been home to some of the biggest stars in the history of the NBA. From Jerry West to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Magic Johnson, Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal, LeBron James. and now Doncic is the next in line to carry the torch.

Doncic felt that he would be with the Mavericks for a long time, if not his entire career. His rookie season coincided with the final year of Dirk Nowitzki, which basically served as a passing of the torch. The two still have a close relationship with Nowitzki even attending Doncic’s Lakers debut.

But playing for the Lakers is an entirely different situation than with any other basketball team on the planet and Doncic understands and embraces that. To play for, and win with, the Lakers is something that most could only dream of and for a competitor like Doncic, he now has the biggest stage to compete on and show he’s the best. As he noted, it will take some time for him to integrate and get more comfortable with his new team, but overall, Doncic is happy to be the face of the greatest basketball franchise in the world.

LeBron James preaches patience with Luka Doncic getting comfortable with Lakers​

Joining the Lakers means Luka Doncic teaming up with LeBron James. The adjustment of two ball-dominant players figuring out how to play with each other, not to mention just learning all of the plays and schemes the Lakers employ takes some time and LeBron recently spoke about the need for a little bit of patience.

“It’s his third game since Christmas. And it’s his third game with us,” James said after the loss to the Hornets. “He still doesn’t know all the plays, he doesn’t know all of the defensive coverages, all the signals and things we’ve built since September. Obviously we’re trying to fast track it on the fly, he’s coming back from his injury, he’s getting back into form. So we’re all working through it together.”

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/luka-donci...ganization-after-having-time-to-digest-trade/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Lakers Injury Report: Luka Doncic & LeBron James Probable Vs. Nuggets

The Los Angeles Lakers released their injury report for Saturday’s road game against the Denver Nuggets and Luka Doncic (left calf injury management) and LeBron James (left foot injury management) are listed as probable, signaling they both will likely be able to play.

Considering Doncic recently returned from a long-term injury, the Lakers were cautious and sat him out in the second night of a back-to-back on Thursday against the Portland Trail Blazers. The Lakers have a handful of back-to-backs moving forward though and the current expectation is for Doncic to be able to play in them.

James has been managing his foot issue for a while and expects that to be the case for the rest of the season, although with a big matchup against the Nuggets set for Saturday night, he will surely do everything in his power to help his team get a win.

Elsewhere on the Lakers’ injury report, Jarred Vanderbilt is not on it and will be available, while Maxi Kleber (right foot surgery recovery) remains out.

Denver will be a tough test for the Lakers as Nikola Jokic and Co. have been playing at an extremely high level in recent weeks, winning nine straight games.

Of course, the Lakers have had their fair share of struggles against the Nuggets in the past, so it will be interesting to see how this new-look version of them with Doncic fares against them on Saturday.

On the Denver side of things, they will only be without Peyton Watson as the rest of their rotation is currently healthy.

Luka Doncic expected to be able to play in back-to-backs moving forward​

The Lakers have seven more back-to-backs this season and given how close the standings are in the Western Conference, they will need to be as close to full strength as possible for all of these games down the stretch.

The good news is that even though Luka Doncic sat out against the Trail Blazers, he is expected to be able to play in back-to-backs moving forward.

“Speaking with him Tuesday night after practice, we sat down together. He’s all in,” head coach JJ Redick said of Doncic. “He’s [over] the mental part of the shock and everything, he’s in a really good place. And now we’ve got to get him physically where he needs to be to be Luka.”

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-injury-report-luka-doncic-lebron-james-probable-vs-nuggets/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Lakers News: LeBron James ‘Saw It From The Beginning’ With Austin Reaves

LeBron James and Austin Reaves have built great chemistry together over the last few years with the Los Angeles Lakers and those two are arguably the biggest reasons the team is in the thick of the playoff mix right now.

James doesn’t often trust young teammates, but it was clear early on that Reaves had earned his trust. Despite going undrafted, Reaves quickly worked himself onto the Lakers’ roster and then became a rotation player and eventually a starter. During the 2023 postseason, it was clear that Reaves had taken that next step when James was deferring to him late in games and it worked to the Lakers’ advantage.

According to Taylor Geas of Lakers.com, Reaves didn’t understand why James was being hard on him early in his career, although he later found out it was for good reason:

“I’ll give Bron credit. Ever since day one, I remember my rookie year, he was on my ass for a two-week stretch, and I was getting frustrated. I would mess up in games, and he would critique me a lot. I got real frustrated because I felt like he just kept coming after me. Kept coming after me. But not in a bad way—he just wanted me to be better,” Austin explained. “I went to Phil Handy, and I was like, ‘He needs to give me a break, I’m still learning.’ And he was like, ‘The only reason he’s on you like that is because he believes in you.'”

“From day one, he’s been one of the biggest reasons that I’ve continued to grow.”

“Because I knew,” LeBron said.

“Yeah, you saw it?” he was asked.

“I saw it. I saw it from the beginning. I knew he could play.”

With the recent addition of Luka Doncic, the Lakers now have three perimeter players they can trust to make good decisions with the ball in their hands, either as a scorer or passer.

While it will understandably take some time for them to gel and figure out what works best for the team, the way James and Reaves quickly built chemistry together should help with the process of onboarding Doncic.

Austin Reaves believes Lakers star LeBron James has nothing left to prove​

Austin Reaves and LeBron James recently led the Lakers to a victory over the Portland Trail Blazers, combining for 72 points in the second night of a back-to-back.

James dropped 40 points for the second time this season and after the win, Reaves stated that the 40-year-old has nothing left to prove.

“Just having him out there, his approach to the game, like you said he really don’t have anything else to prove and if people say he does, then they’re (Michael) Jordan fans. It’s very impressive just to see his routine. He was in here before the game, him and Mikey (Mancias) were putting in the work. He never stops, which is very impressive because sometimes I just wanna go lay down and take a nap and he’s over there doing some type of treatment. So shoutout to him. Pretty good player.”

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-news-lebron-james-saw-it-from-the-beginning-with-austin-reaves/