The Sacramento Kings won’t bring back interim coach Alvin Gentry and are opening up a search for a new head coach, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) April 11, 2022

Gentry took the head coach position after the front office dismissed Luke Walton in November. The veteran coach led the Kings to a 24-41 record over the final 65 games of the season. The Kings (30-52) finished the season at 12th in the Western Conference. According to Woj, Gentry and Kings are negotiating a role in the front office that will be made official later this week. Gentry has one year remaining on his contract with the Kings.

The Kings and Alvin Gentry are discussing a front-office role and a resolution is expected sometime this week, sources tell ESPN. Gentry has a year left on his contract.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) April 11, 2022

Gentry owns a 534-639 record over his 18-year career as an NBA head coach. He’s spent time with the Heat, Pistons, Clippers, Suns, and Pelicans before coming to Sacramento.

The post REPORT: Alvin Gentry Won’t Return As Kings Coach appeared first on SLAM.

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported the breaking news.

Sources: Alvin Gentry will become the Kings’ interim coach. Gentry is already under contract through 2022-2023, gets a raise to take interim job and agreement on some benchmarks of success rest of this season with team to try and keep job longer.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) November 21, 2021

Rumors of a coaching change gained momentum with the team having lost seven of their eight games with a 6-11 record. The Kings currently are in 12th place in the West.

General Manager Monte McNair talked to reporters about the coaching change via ESPN.

“We all know all of us have to be better, especially over the last two weeks,” McNair said. “We’re not meeting expectations. That’s not just on Luke. That’s on me, the rest of our coaches and players. Everyone acknowledges that.”

“I think we have the talent…We’ve shown that we can do that. We’re going to get back to that and Alvin will be the guy to lead us there.”

The Kings have not made the postseason since 2006, which is tied for the longest playoff drought in NBA history. Alvin Gentry will be the 11th head coach Sacramento has hired since Rick Adelman.

The post Kings Replace Luke Walton With Alvin Gentry as Interim Coach appeared first on SLAM.

“With the Kings in the midst of a four-game losing streak heading into a Monday night game at Detroit, sources say the third-year coach’s job status will likely be in peril soon if the current slide continues.”

Walton was facing scrutiny last year as well when The Athletic reported that after the Kings won seven out of eight games in late January and early February that there was a sense around the franchise that Kings owner Vivek Ranadive might make a playoff berth an unofficial qualifier for Walton to keep his job.

However, that decision never came to be even as the Kings lost nine games in a row later in February and April. Walton reportedly was kept due to his approval rating in the locker room, and his strong relationship with general manager Monte McNair. Furthermore, because the Kings are desperate to end its 15-year playoff drought, the longest in franchise history, Walton won’t have as much leeway as he once did.

Though they picked up a 129-107 win Monday’s against the Detroit Pistons (3-10), the Kings have still struggled and have seen major regression and stagnation from its young stars De’Aaron Fox, 19.8 points per game down from last seasons career-high 25.2 points per game, who has been unable to replicate their magic from previous campaigns and are off to a slow start this season.

Walton was hired by Kings general manager, Vlade Divac, and has led the King a 31-41 in consecutive seasons. The two-time League champ is still guaranteed $11.5 million over the current and next campaign. The Kings play the Timberwolves (4-9) on Wednesday.

The post REPORT: Kings Head Coach Luke Walton Put On The Hot Seat appeared first on SLAM.

However, that contract apparently hasn’t pacified Hield, who has reportedly grown even more disenchanted with the Kings head coach Luke Walton over the past few months.

According to The Athletic‘s Jason Jones, “Hield has soured on Walton to the point he will not answer his coach’s phone calls.”

Throughout the 2019-20 season, Hield’s rocky relationship with Walton was a matter of concern for Sacramento. Hield, 27, was growing increasingly frustrated by his demotion to the second unit and not being on the court in crunch time because of Walton’s concern about his defense.

After a midseason loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves, Hield notably told reporters that it seemed like the Kings had “trust issues” before adding that “they stop believing in players.”

What this means for Hield moving forward is unclear. His camp hasn’t publicly demanded a trade, and there hasn’t been any reports that Sacramento plans to move on from their sharpshooter.

With a number of strong coaching candidates currently on the market, it wouldn’t be surprising to see the Kings move on from Walton. A former player, Walton has yet to have a .500 record or better after four seasons as head coach.

The post Report: Buddy Hield No Longer Answering Luke Walton’s Calls appeared first on SLAM.

Doncic and Walton exchanged words, and the 20-year-old NBA All-Star told the media he didn’t appreciate what had been said.

Luka finished with 33 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists in his return to action from an ankle injury, leading the Dallas Mavericks past visiting Sacramento 130-111.

Per The Sac Bee:

It was not immediately clear what led to the exchange, but Doncic pointed at Walton, saying: “Don’t do that.” Doncic later stared Walton down after draining a 3-pointer midway through the fourth quarter.

“He said something that I didn’t like about me,” Doncic told FSN Southwest after the game.

Sean Cunningham of ABC 10 posted video from NBC Sports California that appeared to show Walton saying: “Hey, Luka, do me a favor. Give him your autograph after the game. He’s a fan. He’s a fan of yours.”

“I have all the respect in the world for him,” Walton said. “He got what he wanted tonight, wherever he wanted, so I wasn’t saying anything to him. I don’t know if he thought I said something to him, but he had a great game, he’s a great player and he led his team to victory. … I wouldn’t have said anything. What can you say?”

Related Luka Doncic: ‘I Honestly Thought [Kings] Were Going to Pick Me’

The post Luka Doncic: Luke Walton ‘Said Something I Didn’t Like About Me’ appeared first on SLAM.

Walton, however, concedes that “you won’t see that for a while.”

Bagley, 20, is averaging 13.4 points and 7.4 rebounds this season, all slightly under his rookie campaign numbers.

Per The Sac Bee:

“No, his 3-point shooting looks good,” Walton said. “It’s more that we want him to get really comfortable with the playbook at one spot first, and when he’s really comfortable at that spot then we can move him.

“If we play him with Richaun [Holmes] now, he’s playing the 4 and every play we call, he’s got to be somewhere else and make different reads. We want him to be free out there. We want him to be able to go all out, so he’ll play one position for now and then we’ll grow that out so eventually one day he’s playing 1 through 5 like Giannis does in Milwaukee.”

At 6-foot-11 and 235 pounds, Bagley has the size to play anywhere in the frontcourt. He might be athletic enough to play small forward as his defensive awareness improves. He has also shown the ball-handling ability to lead the break in grab-and-go situations.

“Whatever the team needs,” Bagley said. “Obviously, I’m capable of playing more than one position. I can play every position. I’m a player. I don’t have a position. I’m a positionless basketball player. Whatever the team needs, whether I’m playing the 5, the 4, the 3 – whatever they need – I’m going to adjust to it, learn it and do it.”

Related Dave Joerger: De’Aaron Fox and Marvin Bagley the ‘Next Durant-Westbrook’

The post Luke Walton: Marvin Bagley Can Play Five Positions ‘Like Giannis’ appeared first on SLAM.

Johnson says team owner Jeanie Buss would have never allowed such behavior.

“I’ve been in business 35 years, I’ve had partnerships with some of the biggest companies, Fortune 500 companies, in the country,” Johnson said on ESPN.

“Now, I’ve never sat in an HR person’s office in 35 years. Two years with the Lakers, no HR appearance. Jeanie Buss, do you think Jeanie Buss would allow me to abuse the employees? If that was the case, she would’ve called me in. Joe McCormick would’ve called me in, the lawyer for the Lakers, as well as Dan, the other lawyer. It never happened.”

The report paints a picture of utter dysfunction in L.A.: the franchise missed out on the playoffs despite signing LeBron James last summer, and Johnson abruptly stepped down, citing personal betrayal by general manager Rob Pelinka.

Per ESPN:

A Lakers spokesperson said the team currently employs about 300 staffers but said it didn’t have data immediately available of how many staffers have departed or have been replaced since Pelinka and Johnson were hired.

The spate of changes increased the workloads for several staff members — and in one instance in 2017, a longtime female staffer was called into an office with Johnson and Pelinka after making a mistake, according to multiple staffers present and others familiar with the incident. The mistake, sources said, involved arranging a car service to the team’s facility for a draft prospect.

“I don’t stand for mistakes!” Johnson shouted at her. “I don’t make mistakes.”

Johnson also made clear, according to multiple people familiar with the exchange, that if the staffer made one more mistake, she would be fired.

In the office, the staffer apologized and later, off site, began to cry, according to multiple people with knowledge of the incident. In the months ahead, she would suffer increased anxiety and panic attacks. She was prescribed anti-anxiety medication, quit the Lakers after more than two decades with the team, and began several weeks of therapy, multiple people familiar with the matter said. She gave her notice on Dec. 18, 2017, the same day Kobe Bryant’s two jerseys were retired.

Related Magic Johnson Felt ‘Betrayed’ by Rob Pelinka

The post Magic Johnson: ‘I’ve Never Abused an Employee. Never Will’ appeared first on SLAM.

Tennant says the two had a business relationship, and that she had asked Walton to write a foreword in her book.

Walton, 39, “mutually parted ways” with the Los Angeles Lakers earlier this month, and was hired by the Sacramento Kings the next day.

Per TMZ and ESPN:

According to the legal documents obtained, Walton allegedly invited Tennant to his room so they wouldn’t be seen together by any Warriors players. He then allegedly pinned Tennant to the hotel bed and forcibly kissed and groped her.

The suit also alleges that in May 2017, sometime after the hotel incident occurred, Walton “forced an aggressive hug” and made a lewd remark about Tennant’s outfit at a charity event the two attended.

“At no time before or during his employment here was this allegation reported to the Lakers,” the statement read. “If it had been, we would have immediately commenced an investigation and notified the NBA. Since Luke Walton is now under contract to another team, we will have no further comment.”

The Kings released a statement on Monday night regarding the alleged incident. “We are aware of the report and are gathering additional information,” the statement said. “We have no further comment at this time.”

The Warriors said they were also “aware of the alleged incident” and gathering additional information. The team had no other comment. The NBA has opened an investigation of its own, sources told ESPN.

Related Kings, Luke Walton Agree To Deal

The post Luke Walton Sued for Sexual Assault appeared first on SLAM.

The Sacramento Kings have offered Luke Walton their coaching job, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reports. There’s confidence on both sides that a deal can be reached.

Although Wojnarowski reports that the two parties will meet this weekend, mere days after Walton and the Lakers parted ways, Sam Amick of The Athletic tweets that the parties have already met and are in the late stages of completing a multiyear deal.

In any event, Walton has been rumored as a potential replacement for the outgoing Dave Joerger since news of Joerger’s departure from the franchise. If he accepts the gig he’ll inherit a young, promising roster that just completed the franchise’s most successful season in 13 years.

Story: Kings dismiss Dave Joerger

Walton spent three seasons as the helm of the Lakers and even though the team saw its best finish of that stretch last season, it’s hard to consider the organization’s campaign a success given the expectations after the arrival of LeBron James.

Story: Lakers, Luke Walton mutually part ways

As disappointing as 2018-19 may have been, the mandate with James on board and a handful of new veterans was a substantially different one than the one Walton originally signed on for.

A move to Sacramento then, with its young , raw roster, may be a better fit for Walton heading forward.

The post UPDATE: Kings, Luke Walton Agree To Deal appeared first on SLAM.

Walton drew a tough assignment this season, challenged with the task of assembling a contender around LeBron James and a medley of free agents. Prior to the arrival of James, Walton had been the man at the helm of a young roster loaded with young talent.

Whether or not Walton would or should remain the head coach of the franchise weighed heavily on Johnson prior to his resignation. The day that Johnson stepped down he had been given the greenlight to dismiss Walton, something that the Lakers coaching staff is said to have been expecting at the time.

Story: Magic Johnson steps down as president of the Lakers

All told, in three seasons with the Lakers, Walton won 98 games and lost 148. The 37 wins registered in 2018-19 were the most of Walton’s stint but, given the expectations followin James’ arrival, not enough.

An early frontrunner for the position, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, is Tyronn Lue, who coached James to an NBA championship in 2016. Lue was dismissed from Cleveland last fall.

The post Lakers Part Ways With Luke Walton appeared first on SLAM.

James is said to still be aligned with team owner Jeanie Buss.

Johnson informed the world—and the Lakers—of his “difficult decision” during a long, impromptu press conference.

Per ESPN:

LeBron James was stunned to learn of Magic Johnson’s decision to step down as the Los Angeles Lakers’ president of basketball operations, a source with knowledge of James’ thinking told ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne on Wednesday.

But despite Johnson’s abrupt resignation, James stands behind Lakers owner Jeanie Buss and the organization, the source told Shelburne.

The team is still assessing Johnson’s decision, but general manager Rob Pelinka will stay in his job, and, if anything, his power will grow, sources told Shelburne.

League sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski that Johnson and Pelinka visited with James and his agent, Rich Paul, on Saturday. Sources told ESPN that Paul also met Wednesday with Buss, Pelinka and Linda Rambis, who is the Lakers’ manager of special projects.

Johnson offered no indication that he was on the brink of leaving the team, sources said. Johnson said he did not tell James about his decision to leave before making his announcement, either.

Related ‘I’m Happy to Be Back Being Magic Johnson’

The post Report: LeBron James Stunned By Magic Johnson Stepping Down appeared first on SLAM.

“I was happier when I wasn’t the president,” Johnson told reporters during an impromptu press conference.

Team owner Jeanie Buss, despite being just as stunned as the rest of the hoops world, put out a classy statement.

Johnson alluded to head coach Luke Walton‘s shaky job security, and didn’t exactly give general manager Rob Pelinka a ringing endorsment on his way out the door.

Per The LA Times:

“It’s a difficult decision,” Johnson said, as he began to cry. “I cried before I came here; I’m about to cry now. But, it’s hard when you love an organization as much as I love this organization. It’s hard when you love a person like I love Jeanie. And I don’t want to disappoint her. I don’t want — we love Luke. So I’ve got to make a decision. And that’s a tough thing.”

Johnson attributed his decision to several factors. He said he didn’t want to have to ask Jeanie Buss to fire Walton, someone for whom Buss has a great deal of affection. He said he was tired of the “backstabbing and the whispering” but never explained exactly what he meant. He said he was tired of not being able to talk to players on other teams and mentor them without the specter of tampering.

Johnson was asked if he would like to see Walton remain the team’s head coach. He was also asked if he believes Rob Pelinka is the right general manager for the franchise. He said both were decisions for Buss. A person familiar with Buss’ thinking said Johnson’s decision did not guarantee Walton’s job was safe.

“I’m good with where I am,” Johnson said Tuesday as his time with the Lakers came to an end. “I’m happy. I want to do the things I used to do. So I had to weigh both situations. So, this is better for me.”

Related Magic Johnson Steps Down As Lakers President

The post ‘I’m Happy to Be Back Being Magic Johnson’ appeared first on SLAM.

The was, of course, the day LeBron James went down with a groin injury, which cost him 17 games and began the downward spiral for Los Angeles.

The Dubs routed the short-handed Lakers 108-90 Thursday night, and Kerr added that he is “disappointed” James will miss out on the postseason for the first time since 2005.

Per The OC Register:

“Oh for sure,” Kerr said Thursday morning at Staples Center. “When they beat us on Christmas, to me, they looked like one of the best teams in the West. They were playing like it. I don’t know where they were in the standings, but you could feel how good they were (and) the fact that they were coming together.”

Now, even though the greatest adversary the Warriors dynasty has known is sidelined, he can’t help but feel a little wistful about it.

“I’m disappointed for him and for the Lakers,” he said. “I want everybody to be healthy every year. It’s better for the league, it’s better for all the people involved.”

Steph Curry, who has been a fixture on all four of the Warriors teams that played James, took a more Zen attitude, saying that “obviously the rest of the league continues to go,” and that there are plenty of great storylines to follow in the upcoming postseason. But he acknowledged, at the very least, that he can sympathize that it will be “different” for James.

“He’s had an amazing run,” he said. “I’m pretty sure he’ll be able to reset for next year, regroup, but it’s different.”

Related
Jeanie Buss ‘Not Going to Give You the Answer’ on Luke Walton’s Job Security

The post Steve Kerr: Lakers ‘Looked Like One of the Best Teams in the West’ at Christmas appeared first on SLAM.

Walton, who has two years remaining on his deal, did “an incredible job under a lot of challenging circumstances,” according to Buss.

The Lakers, despite the acquisition of LeBron James, missed the postseason for a franchise-record sixth consecutive year.

Per ESPN (via the Sports Business Radio Road Show):

“I’m not going to give you the answer to that question,” Buss said when asked about Walton remaining as coach in her appearance on the Sports Business Radio Road Show on Tuesday at Loyola Marymount University.

The former 10-year veteran, drafted by L.A. with the 32nd pick in the 2003 NBA Draft, was brought in when Jeanie’s brother, Jim Buss, and general manager Mitch Kupchak were running the front office. Less than a year into Walton’s time on the sideline, however, Lakers president Magic Johnson and GM Rob Pelinka were hired to replace the previous regime.

“There’s a whole other chapter of my life where I was, for 15 years, the significant other of coach Phil Jackson. And Phil used to say, ‘Bill Walton may be Luke’s dad, but Luke is my son.’ … It was a very Star Wars-y kind of thing,” Buss said. “But Luke has always been someone that, he came to the Lakers as a rookie, the last year of Shaq (Shaquille O’Neal) and Kobe (Bryant). So he kind of bridged two Lakers teams in the Shaq-Kobe era and then in what you would call the Kobe-Pau (Gasol) era.

“And he is somebody, I think, who doesn’t even realize what a natural he is and that leadership that he has, in terms of getting people, connecting with people and all ages. And I think he’s done a terrific job.”

Related Luke Walton: ‘I Fully Expect to Be Coaching This Team Again Next Year’

The post Jeanie Buss ‘Not Going to Give You the Answer’ on Luke Walton’s Job Security appeared first on SLAM.

The franchise wants to ensure James, 34, has a “healthy summer.”

LeBron missed 17 games due to a groin injury, and missed the postseason for the first time since 2005.

Per ESPN:

“He wants to play,” Walton said, ahead of the Lakers 130-102 road win over the New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday. “My understanding from the medical staff, they finally said, ‘Look, it’s just not worth it anymore. Let’s make sure you have a healthy summer.’ So that’s the decision that was made, and we’ll move forward without him on the floor for the final six.”

Why wasn’t that decision made sooner?

“Well, I think that goes back to him wanting to compete,” Walton said. “Even though it’s over, he wants to be out there playing with his guys. Eventually, as that time goes on and on, it’s easier to tell someone like that, ‘Let’s take care of your health right now.’ So that’s kind of how the decision came.”

James joined the Lakers on their final road trip of the season, a two-game jaunt through New Orleans and Oklahoma City, even though he isn’t playing. Walton said it is meaningful to have James’ presence with the team.

“I think it’s good for the guys,” Walton said. “You know part of going into this season was, ‘Look, we’re putting you with a lot of young players. There’s a lot of new guys, as far as the free agents coming in and whatnot.’ So the more time that, ideally they’d spend together on the floor would be beneficial, but any time they can get together off the floor I think helps for down the road as well.”

Related Luke Walton: ‘I Fully Expect to Be Coaching This Team Again Next Year’

The post ‘He Wants to Play’: Lakers Convinced LeBron James to Shut it Down appeared first on SLAM.

Team presidentMagic Johnson hasn’t made his displeasure with Walton secret, and LeBron James‘ camp has also reportedly pushed for a coaching change in Los Angeles.

Walton, 39, has one guaranteed year remaining on the contract he inked in 2016. In three season, his teams are 94-145.

Per The Athletic:

“I fully expect to be coaching this team again next year,” he told The Athletic on Tuesday night.

The intensity and specificity of the reports around a potential successor have invited speculation that the Lakers have informally started their search while Walton is still on the job — something Walton said he has not concerned himself with.

“I just view it as outside noise unless someone from within tells me that that happened,” Walton told The Athletic. “Unless someone from within our group is telling me that, I just view it like all the other things we’ve gone through as a team this year. Those are things that I don’t have the time to worry about. I’ve got more important things to do like getting the team better and doing my job.”

[Tyronn] Lue recently called Walton to assure him that the Lakers had not contacted him about a potential head coach opening, a source close to the situation said. The source said Lue told Walton that if he was contacted by someone in the organization he would let the Lakers coach know out of “courtesy and friendship.”

“There’s different rumors and everything else,” Walton said. “Unless some kind of information comes from someone within our organization, I don’t pay attention to it and I don’t concern myself with the rumors.”

Related Jason Kidd on Lakers Rumors: ‘You Can’t Turn That Down’

The post Luke Walton: ‘I Fully Expect to Be Coaching This Team Again Next Year’ appeared first on SLAM.

With Luke Walton expected to lose his job this summer, Kidd will reportedly be “among the serious candidates” for the gig.

The 46-year-old Hall of Famer wants to get back into coaching “at any level.”

Per ESPN:

“I think Cal is a great institution. We’ll see what happens,” Kidd said Monday on The Jump. “Right now, it’s nice to be wanted. And it just tells me I’m doing the right thing. And I think the year off helps clean up some things, too, just to refocus and have that energy.”

Kidd said he would be patient in the process and said he thought Walton had done an “incredible job” considering the Lakers’ injuries and other distractions.

“We’ll wait until the season’s over to see what opportunities come about,” he said, “and, hopefully, there’s one that fits.” Kidd described the Lakers franchise as one of the best in the world.

“Not just in the NBA, but the world,” he said. “And so if you ever have the opportunity to wear the purple and gold, you can’t turn that down. As a coach, as a player, because they’re all about championships, and so they have a process. They have a young team. And then LeBron (James) comes and kind of sped up things. And so he wants to win now. But I think, again, it takes time.”

The post Jason Kidd on Lakers Rumors: ‘You Can’t Turn That Down’ appeared first on SLAM.

James played 31 minutes and 47 seconds in the Lakers’ 111-98 loss Thursday night in Toronto, finishing with 29 points and six assists, and says the minutes restriction is a mental challenge.

Kawhi Leonard led the way for the Raptors with 25 points and eight rebounds.

Per The LA Times:

James said after the game he doesn’t know whether he will play Friday.

“It’s challenging for me mentally because I’m so accustomed to being out on the floor, especially when I’m healthy,” James said. “You know, but it’s a conversation between myself and my trainer and the coaching staff and the front office, and this is the direction that they wanted to go the remainder of the season given the lack of success we’ve had with our ballclub. So I trust the people in charge, and that’s what it is.”

Aside from James, no other Lakers starter scored more than Rajon Rondo’s 13 points. Kyle Kuzma and Reggie Bullock combined made only five of 18 shots.

“We had some turnovers, and we had some offensive rebounds that we gave up, at critical points of time of the game,” James said. “Sometimes two or three guys would be on the ball and they would come up with it. You can’t dictate if you can make shots from the perimeter or not … but some of the things that you can control is turnovers, we had 20, and some of the offensive rebounds we gave up.”

Related LeBron James: ‘This Won’t Be the Last Time I’ll Be in the Postseason’

The post LeBron James: Minutes Restriction ‘Challenging for Me Mentally’ appeared first on SLAM.

With the Lakers out of the playoff picture heading into the stretch run, Walton says the team is focused on keeping James fresh for the long-term.

LeBron is averaging 35.6 minutes a game this season—tying a career low for the 16-year future Hall of Famer—and has made it clear he doesn’t want to sit out any games.

Per ESPN:

“I will be monitoring his workload from here on out,” Lakers coach Luke Walton told ESPN on Thursday.

The 34-year-old James played 31 minutes, nearly five less than his season average, in the Lakers’ loss to Denver on Wednesday. The Lakers (30-35) have lost four in a row and eight of their last 10.

“We’ve got four years,” Walton said during the preseason. “We want to make sure we’re not only playing at our best come the end of the season but that he’s fresh. And that’s a goal for us. And it’s a goal that we’re on a journey, and it’s not a one-year journey. We’re continuing to try to and be our best season by season, but also as each one goes on.”

Related LeBron James: Lakers Rely Too Much on Young Players

The post ‘We’ve Got Four Years’: Lakers to Monitor LeBron James’ Workload appeared first on SLAM.

No other NBA team relys on inexperienced players to the degree the Lakers do, according to James.

LeBron is the only vet who inked a long-term deal last summer for the Purple and Gold, and they failed to land another big-time free agent or pull off a blockbuster trade prior to last month’s deadline.

Per The LA Times:

“You have four guys in our top eight rotation that you have to really rely on, and it’s unfair to them to ask for so much when they’re in their second or third year,” James said. “We have Zo [Lonzo Ball], Josh [Hart], Kuz [Kyle Kuzma] and B.I. [Brandon Ingram]. And we had Zu [Ivica Zubac] at the time. That’s like five out of our top nine guys that we rely on, and they’re in their first and second year. You can’t find one other team in our league right now that has to rely on that much every single night from their young guys that’s in their first or second year.”

When James signed, he said he understood many of his teammates weren’t at a point in their careers yet where they could be key pieces for a championship contender. The stark reality of the season likely ending without a playoff berth has felt starker for James.

Further complicating matters were a groin injury that kept James out for five weeks and a trade deadline that caused unrest in the locker room as the Lakers aggressively tried to trade for Anthony Davis, offering all of their young players in different packages.

“It’s unfair to those guys for us to continue to — we want them to learn, we want them to learn, we want them to learn — I want them to learn,” James said. “But also we have to understand that they’re young as well and they’re going to make mistakes. You just try to limit the mistakes as much as possible. You look at all of the 16 teams right now, the best teams in our league right now, just look at the guys they rely on every single night to be able to come through for them. If they have a young guy it’s probably one or two of them. So it’s been tough on us. It’s been tough on us.”

Related Kyle Kuzma: ‘Obviously There’s Something Wrong With This Team’

The post LeBron James: Lakers Rely Too Much on Young Players appeared first on SLAM.

Los Angeles (30-34) dropped its third in a row Monday night, putting it five and a half games out of the playoff picture in the Western Conference, but James says he will not sit out as long as he remains healthy.

LeBron adds that a conversation with the Lakers’ coaching staff and upper management about shutting it down may “happen soon.”

Per ESPN:

“That would take a lot of convincing from Luke [Walton] on up,” James told ESPN, referring to the Lakers coach as well as, most likely, everyone from general manager Rob Pelinka, to president Magic Johnson, to governor Jeanie Buss. “Unless I’m hurt, I’m not sitting games.”

Thus far, no one from the Lakers has approached James about sitting out games to preserve his body, or improve their draft lottery odds.

“That conversation hasn’t occurred, but I’m sure it can happen soon,” James told ESPN.

After his 27 points, 8 rebounds and 6 assists in 42 minutes went to waste against the Clippers, James admitted that monitoring his playing time — if not resting completely — is a possibility moving forward.

“You kind of look at the rest of the games, and look at the percentages of what’s going on there in the future, and see what makes more sense for not only me but the team itself as well,” James said.

Related Kyle Kuzma: ‘Obviously There’s Something Wrong With This Team’

The post LeBron James: ‘Unless I’m Hurt, I’m Not Sitting Games’ appeared first on SLAM.

Lakers coach Luke Walton reportedly confronted the team’s veteran players after the loss, according to The Athletic‘s Shams Charania.

As uncertainty surrounds Lakers into deadline week, several veterans — including Michael Beasley — had an emotionally-charged verbal exchange with head coach Luke Walton postgame tonight, league sources tell @TheAthleticNBA @WatchStadium. It stopped short of turning physical.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 3, 2019

Michael Beasley, Lance Stephenson and JaVale McGee were reportedly upset with Walton’s emphasis on “playing unselfishly,” per Charania.

The argument never got physical and in ESPN‘s report, written by Dave McMenamin, McGee and Beasley challenged Walton on his substitution patterns.

Another source of frustration for Walton, per McMenamin, was Beasley referring to him as “bro” several times.

But the argument has apparently been blown out of proportion.

Stephenson posted an Instagram story that read: “Media decided to add Lance Stephenson. I’m in a very happy place. Nothing but positive. If u going to write a story get the real facts please.”

And a source told ESPN‘s Ramona Shelburne that “It never got close to getting out of control, people are always emotional after a loss.”

A Lakers player reportedly told Marc Spears from The Undefeated that “Nothing crazy happened. Luke said some things. The players said some things back. No one was disrespected. Nothing crazy was said.”

The Lakers next game is on Tuesday night against the Indiana Pacers.

h/t The Athletic, ESPN

The post Reports: Luke Walton and Lakers Veteran Players Got In a ‘Heated’ Argument appeared first on SLAM.

Kuzma believes L.A.’s small ball unit, which has yet to hoop together due to injuries, “can be really good.”

Kyle Kuzma sees the Lakers' version of a 'Death Lineup' being important, once the team gets healthy https://t.co/1VCEepJNxd

— Tania Ganguli (@taniaganguli) January 9, 2019

Kuzma adds that LeBron James playing the center position is key to the group’s effectiveness.

Per the LA Times:

“I think our small ball unit can be really good,” Kuzma said. “I think we can have a death lineup whether that’s [Rajon] Rondo and Lonzo [Ball] on the floor at the same time and me and [Brandon Ingram] and [Le]Bron [James] or substituting guys. I think as we get better defensively and get more continuity, that small ball lineup is going to be huge for us, especially in the playoffs, when everybody’s going to be going small.”

Kuzma says the Lakers haven’t been able to try that lineup in practice yet.

He sees the lineup working best, though, with James as their small ball center.

“I mean I would hope he would be the five,” Kuzma said, smiling. “He’s a little bit bigger, little more muscle. Offensively doesn’t really matter. He’s going to have the ball. We have a pretty good pick and pop chemistry. It’s all about defensively how we guard our guys.”

Related
Kyle Kuzma: Lakers ‘Not Just One Player’

The post Kyle Kuzma: Lakers Have Their Own ‘Death Lineup’ appeared first on SLAM.

Bryant points out that three key players are currently out with injuries.

Relax. Entire squad is damn near out. Were playing pretty well before that #gethealthy #lakerfam https://t.co/ZvYYIxmY4R

— Kobe Bryant (@kobebryant) January 7, 2019

The Lakers are 1-5 without LeBron James, who will miss at least two more games with a strained groin.

Per the LA Times:

“It’s a significant stretch because it’s an opportunity for us, it’s an opportunity for young players to grow and establish themselves, with LeBron out, with Rondo out,” veteran center Tyson Chandler said. “It gives other guys an opportunity to step up so when those guys come back we can be in the rhythm, guys can be feeling good about what they’re doing out there. But we’ve got to take advantage of it.”

[Lance] Stephenson was asked if it feels like the Lakers are letting their overarching goals slip away.

“A little bit,” Stephenson said. “Right now is our down time. And I think we gonna go on a run. I think we gotta stay positive and confident in each other and this group that we got right now. No excuses and just play basketball, man. I think the guys just thinking too much; we just gotta play. Play like we normally play, and play without thinking.”

Related
Luke Walton: Lakers Need ‘More Passion’ from Brandon Ingram and Lonzo Ball

The post Kobe Bryant Tells Panicking Lakers Fans to ‘Relax’ appeared first on SLAM.

Walton says the two youngsters are trying, but they need show “more fight.”

New story: After another rough loss, Luke Walton challenged his young core to bring more fire to the fight for the Lakers https://t.co/lgJd1S2o41

— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) January 7, 2019

The Lakers lost on the road 108-86 Sunday night to the Minnesota Timberwolves, falling to 1-5 without the injured LeBron James this season.

Per ESPN:

“They’re trying, but they’re young,” Walton said of Ball and Ingram, both just 21 years old. “At some point, we need more passion. We need more fight. And that’s not scoring more. That’s more diving for loose balls, communicating loudly, grabbing [rebounds].

“Brandon had some really nice crack-back rebounds tonight that we can get out and run [from]. We need that all the time from him. So, it’s not just them, but until we get healthy again, you got to play in this league with some passion and fire. It’s hard to win in this league when you are healthy. So you need to double that effort when guys are down.”

It was Ball’s second scoreless game of the season and his first since a 130-117 loss to the Orlando Magic.

“We’re down a lot of scorers right now,” he said. “I’ve got to pick up that load. Obviously I didn’t do it tonight. I got to pick it up tomorrow.”

The Lakers finish off the second night of a back-to-back on the road against the Dallas Mavericks on Monday. Again, they will be without James and [Rajon] Rondo, while [Kyle] Kuzma’s availability is considered to be a game-time decision.

“I always feel like I can do so more, so if that is my frustration then I’m frustrated,” Ingram said. “But I’ll just go back and watch film and get prepared for the next game.”

Related
Kyle Kuzma: Lakers ‘Not Just One Player’

The post Luke Walton: Lakers Need ‘More Passion’ from Brandon Ingram and Lonzo Ball appeared first on SLAM.

If James had things his way, he would suit up for 48 minutes each night.

New story: Both Kobe and Magic are wary of LeBron shouldering too much of the load in L.A. What does LeBron think about that? https://t.co/Dh9jxQyiFt

— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) December 5, 2018

LeBron, however, does agree with both Magic Johnson and Kobe Bryant that doing everything himself is not a recipe for long-term success.

Per ESPN:

“I understand the logic behind it,” James said. “I understand what Magic and Kobe are saying because we want to continue to grow the young guys. We want to see how much our young guys can grow and be the best they can be. I mean, Magic and Kobe know who I am. I know who I am. They know what they’re going to get out of me.

“That is, you know what you’re going to get out of me every game. Am I going to play well every game? Am I going to shoot the ball well every game? No. But you know who I am, and when it’s time to — when it’s really, really, really money time, you know who is going to be there. So we got guys who just want to continue to develop and guys that continue to get better and better just from experience. They haven’t had a lot of experience. So I think people are trying to blow it out of proportion, like, ‘OK, why do you have LeBron if you don’t want to use him?’ They don’t understand the logic behind it.”

James admits that being hardheaded about his minutes won’t be the best for the Lakers anyway.

“It doesn’t matter,” James said. “Like you guys asked me the other day, ‘Do you feel better after playing 30 minutes compared to playing 40 minutes?’ It’s like, ‘No.’ I work myself all year round to get in tip-top shape all year round. I don’t stop. So I can do whatever. I mean, I played a Game 7 of the Finals and I damn near played every minute. Last year I played every single game. Every single game. So, you know, you can kind of slice it how you want it, but I understand what Magic and Kobe are saying, and we have to continue to develop these guys because if we don’t, then long-term, what does that do for our franchise?

“I want to play 48 minutes a game. Seriously. But it’s not going to happen. It’s not smart. It’s not smart on anyone’s behalf, but it’s just the competitive side of me. If you ask any competitive guy that’s been in my case, do they like coming out? There’s not going to be one that’s going to say yes. But at the end of the day, you got to do what’s best for the team, and you got to be able to protect yourself as well. So I love everything that’s going on with our ballclub and this franchise since I got here.”

Related
Magic Johnson: Lakers Don’t Want to Be ‘Cleveland All Over Again’

The post LeBron James: ‘I Don’t Know What Asking Me to Do Too Much is’ appeared first on SLAM.

Johnson and head coach Luke Walton are carefully monitoring James’ workload.

Magic reiterates that the Lakers want to keep LeBron James' usage down in minutes and lighten the load on his ballhandling with other playmakers on roster. Magic also still believes that come January the Lakers will hit their stride https://t.co/9sbJqfrC4X

— Ohm Youngmisuk (@NotoriousOHM) November 30, 2018

LeBron inked a four-year, $154 million deal this summer and Johnson wants to keep him fresh for the duration of the contract.

Per ESPN:

“We are trying to make sure that we watch his minutes but also that we don’t run everything through him because now it is Cleveland all over again and we don’t want that,” Johnson said in an interview on SiriusXM NBA Radio. “We want to get up and down.”

Johnson, keeping a big-picture eye on LeBron James’ usage, reiterated Thursday that the Los Angeles Lakers will continue to follow their offseason plan of trying to lighten James’ load compared to how he was utilized with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

“Basically minutes, trying to make sure we don’t overplay him and then also usage of the ball in his hands,” Johnson told SiriusXM NBA Radio. “We got a lot of ball handlers so we feel we won’t overuse him in terms of his ballhandling and also every play has to run through him. I think we got proven scorers — Kyle Kuzma, Brandon Ingram … and then when you have two point guards like [Lonzo] Ball and [Rajon] Rondo, we don’t have to have LeBron having the ball in his hands all the time.”

Related
LeBron James ‘Battling’ With How to Lead the Lakers

The post Magic Johnson: Lakers Don’t Want to Be ‘Cleveland All Over Again’ appeared first on SLAM.

An aggressive Ball makes the Lakers a better team, saya James.

New story: LeBron appears to be on a mission to boost Lonzo’s confidence and it’s paying off so far https://t.co/rWJew360gX

— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) November 24, 2018

The 21-year-old guard finished with 9 points, 10 rebounds and 2 assists in a 90-83 Friday night win against the visiting Utah Jazz.

Per ESPN:

“Sometimes he doesn’t realize how great he is,” James said after a 90-83 win over the Utah Jazz on Friday night at Staples Center. “The things that he possesses out on the floor, when Zo realizes how good he is on the floor, it makes him a very dynamic player and it makes us even better. And he’s been doing that as of late, [with] his aggressiveness.”

LeBron James is on a mission to boost second-year point guard Lonzo Ball’s confidence, and it appears to be paying off for the Lakers.

“Even when he’s not making, just his attack as you’ve seen earlier in the game, just him getting to the rim [is important],” James said of Ball, who went 4-for-10 from the field. “He missed a couple of ’em; that’s absolutely fine. He had a couple charges; that’s absolutely fine. When he’s aggressive, it just changes our dynamic of the team, and he’s been doing it of late and we need him to continue to do that because he’s very good.”

Related
Michael Beasley: ‘I Don’t Understand’ the Lonzo Ball Criticism

The post LeBron James: Lonzo Ball ‘Doesn’t Realize How Great He is’ appeared first on SLAM.

Rondo is expected to miss three-to-five weeks, league source tells ESPN. https://t.co/TJ20BrFGps

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) November 15, 2018

Rondo suffered the injury while making a steal in the fourth quarter.

Luke Walton talks about Rondo breaking his hand, and congratulates LeBron James on moving up the NBA all-time points list. pic.twitter.com/OCxYy4UHeK

— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) November 15, 2018

The 32-year-old is averaging 8.5 points and 6.5 assists in 25.3 minutes for the Purple and Gold.

Per the AP:

There was bad news on a triumphant night, too: After the game, [head coach Luke] Walton revealed that Rajon Rondo broke his right hand, apparently while making a steal in the fourth quarter. The veteran point guard will be sidelined for at least a few weeks, and starter Lonzo Ball’s so-far moderate workload is likely to increase.

“It’s tough,” [LeBron] James said. “He’s one of our captains, one of our leaders. I know he’ll get right to it with his rehab, but it’s next man up.”

Related
‘I Need Another Ring’: Rajon Rondo on a Mission in L.A.

The post Rajon Rondo Out a ‘Few Weeks’ With Broken Hand appeared first on SLAM.

Johnson, however, isn’t angry enough to get rid of head coach Luke Walton.

Magic Johnson tells ESPN 'we're not going to fire' Luke Walton barring something drastic, confirming what he said to the LA Times earlier on Sunday. And he declined to define what drastic will be https://t.co/1pkCEFuPWb

— Ohm Youngmisuk (@NotoriousOHM) November 5, 2018

Johnson insists Walton has the front-office’s support this season, and won’t lose his job barring drastic circumstances.

Per ESPN:

“Yeah, we’re not going to fire him,” Johnson told ESPN after the Lakers fell behind 41-10 in the first quarter on Sunday before losing to the Toronto Raptors 121-107 at home. “[The meeting last week with Walton] wasn’t even a meeting about that. We just have to be better, and that was it.”

Asked Sunday night what drastic can be defined as, Johnson politely declined to go into detail.

“Yeah, it was,” Johnson said when asked if the meeting was positive and necessary. “We’re last in defense. We got to get better.”

Related
Magic Johnson Says Luke Walton is ‘Going to Finish the Season’

The post Magic Johnson: ‘We’re Last in Defense. We Got to Get Better’ appeared first on SLAM.

The Lakers coaching staff is feeling some pressure after Johnson’s latest talk. But owner Jeanie Buss has reportedly remained unwavering in her support of Walton.

Johnson’s aggressive meeting tone circulated to individuals throughout the organization, including to principal owner Jeanie Buss, league sources said.

Throughout his tenure with the Lakers, Johnson has earned an internal reputation for an often-time volatile management style, including with his handling of Walton and the coaching staff, sources said.

Buss’ support for Walton has remained unwavering since Johnson and general manager Rob Pelinka assumed command of basketball operations in 2017.

Walton has had to work around suspensions to Rajon Rondo and Brandon Ingram, integrating new players and Lonzo Ball recovering from a meniscus injury so far this season.

Clearly, Johnson is ready for more progress.

RELATED:
Magic: I’m Going To Get Another Superstar Here Next Year

The post Magic Johnson Scolds Luke Walton over Lakers’ Poor Start appeared first on SLAM.

The Lakers fell 124-120 on the road Monday night to the Minnesota Timberwolves, their fifth loss in seven games.

Butler provides backbreaker against Lakers in Minnesota's 124-120 win https://t.co/K0puOIdCnZ pic.twitter.com/3HDcBLjVIq

— L.A. Times Sports (@latimessports) October 30, 2018

James says his squad needs to stop repeating the same mistakes, and fast.

Per the LA Times:

“You probably don’t want to be around when my patience runs out,” James said.

The crowd around him chuckled, but James didn’t.

“I’m serious,” he said.

Monday night’s 124-120 loss to the Timberwolves showed again that this is a Lakers team that is still learning. It’s a team that makes mistakes, that struggles to defend without fouling and that is testing the patience of its biggest star, as he knew it would.

“We gotta get better,” James said. “We know that. We talk about patience, but we can’t have recurrence of the same thing. … Doing the same thing over and over and over and expecting a different result, you know, that’s insanity. So we have to get better. We can’t just have the same mistakes over and over again.”

Related
Magic Johnson: ‘I’m Going to Get Another Superstar Next Year’

The post LeBron James: ‘You Probably Don’t Want to Be Around When My Patience Runs Out’ appeared first on SLAM.

James sat out the fourth quarter with 19 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds, and said Wednesday night’s 131-113 road victory in Phoenix “feels great.”

The Lakers had seven players in double figures.

Devin Booker had 23 points for the Suns, but left in the third quarter with a strained left hamstring.

Per the AP:

“It feels great,” he said. “It is a win, period, but it feels good to know what we have been doing over training camp and these first few games to continue to get better.”

Neither team led by more than six points in the first quarter and the Suns were down only 46-41 after Isaiah Canaan’s driving layup with 7:09 left in the half. But Phoenix committed four turnovers in a 17-2 Los Angeles outburst that put the Lakers up 63-43 on Josh Hart’s running dunk with 3:51 left in the first half.

“That is what we keep harping on. That is what we will continue to harp on throughout the season is our defensive approach,” James said. “How we approach the game, our physicality, our communication and that is what we did in the second quarter.”

Related
‘I Know What I Got Myself Into’: LeBron James Downplays 0-3 Start

The post LeBron James: First Lakers Win ‘Feels Great’ appeared first on SLAM.

The Purple and Gold will push the pace, but with an aim to remain under control.

New Story: LeBron James tells Yahoo Sports why he’s embracing an accelerated pace at the age of 33 and why it’s necessary. https://t.co/jSRHZpZZ9u

— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) October 4, 2018

James, 33, says he’s up for the challenge of leading the break in L.A. “even with the miles” on his odometer.

Per Yahoo Sports:

“You see those young legs out there,” James told Yahoo Sports. “We would be stupid not to utilize that as a strength. That’s just good coaching.”

[Luke] Walton is now asking James not only to stay with the herd — which will eventually include Lonzo Ball, 20, who is recovering from a knee injury — but on most occasions to be in front of it.

“I feel good out there. I’m good. I haven’t had issues [with my back since 2014-15],” James said. “I’m just trying to get everyone involved right now and make sure everyone is on the same page. That’s all. We’ll be in good shape.”

Related
LeBron James: ‘We Want to Be a Positionless Team’

The post LeBron James: Lakers Will Be a Running Team appeared first on SLAM.

James sees “a lot of upside in that kid.”

New story: On a night Luke Walton ripped the Lakers as a team, there was no denying the individual growth of Brandon Ingram and Josh Hart https://t.co/p4ue5xNttO

— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) October 5, 2018

Ingram, 21, led the way with 31 points, nine rebounds and three steals Thursday night as L.A. earned its first preseason win.

Per ESPN:

It was a continuation of the praise James has heaped on Ingram since media day. That day, when asked by ESPN about Ingram, James said, “Look out, I think he’s next.”

“I know what I see in him, and he’s looking for this opportunity to make this next jump in his third year,” said James, who had 18 points and four assists in 16 minutes against the Kings. “So, it’s a lot of upside in that kid, and I’m happy to try to give him as much as I can.”

Ingram said James’ support inspires him to train harder.

“It makes you want to keep going,” said Ingram, whose locker is stationed next to James’ stall at Staples Center. “I don’t think I want to stop here. My expectations are way higher than anyone’s expectations in this room or anybody, so for him to say that is an extreme compliment, because, of course, he’s my teammate, and I’ve got to have his back at all times.”

Related
LeBron James: Lakers a ‘Little Too Unselfish’

The post ‘I Think He’s Next’: LeBron James Says Brandon Ingram Ready to Make Leap appeared first on SLAM.

James, however, thinks making the extra pass will be good for the Purple and Gold in the long run.

LeBron James dazzles in his first home game as a Laker https://t.co/UnkdzMuj5a pic.twitter.com/PFqjMf0fNG

— L.A. Times Sports (@latimessports) October 3, 2018

Bron finished with 13 points, three rebounds, three assists, two steals and four turnovers in 14 minutes of action.

Per the LA Times:

“There were times with both groups I thought they were messing with me, they passed so many times,” Lakers coach Luke Walton said.

Regardless, James’ passing ability is beginning to permeate the roster. At one point in the second quarter, James dished a no-look pass to Brandon Ingram, who followed with one of his own. The play finished with a dunk from JaVale McGee.

“Yeah we were a little too unselfish, but that’s good for us,” James said. “Now as we continue to learn one another we want to make the extra passes, give up a good shot for a great shot. Some of them we felt like we gave up the ball too much, but it’s going to be good for us in the long run.”

Related
LeBron James Scores 9 Points in Preseason Debut with Lakers

The post LeBron James: Lakers a ‘Little Too Unselfish’ appeared first on SLAM.

James, who made his preseason debut Sunday night for the Purple and Gold, believes the squad has “a lot of guys that can play multiple positions.”

“There’s gonna be times when we’re all playing different positions. I think that’s going to be the benefit of our ball club." – @KingJameshttps://t.co/Md3tnqcaIy

— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) September 29, 2018

Head coach Luke Walton cautions that if the Lakers struggle on the boards, positionless basketball may be a short-lived experiment.

Per the team website:

“We want to be a positionless team,” LeBron James said at Saturday’s practice. “There’s gonna be times when we’re all playing different positions. I think that’s going to be the benefit of our ball club.”

But James is far from the only Laker who can play across several positions. He highlighted Kyle Kuzma, Brandon Ingram and Michael Beasley as those types of flexible players.

“We have a lot of guys that can play multiple positions,” James said. “It’s going to work well for our team. It’s good. We just have to help rebound.”

Related
LeBron James: ‘I Have to Be Patient Right Now’

The post LeBron James: ‘We Want to Be a Positionless Team’ appeared first on SLAM.

In a re-assurance to Laker Nation, McGee proposes that “all memes aren’t bad.”

Man I wish they could all be like @JaValeMcGee. Here's my @ESPN Mag Q&A w/ @Lakers new big man (+his daughter Gigi – at circus school!) on playing with LeBron, their remodeled "Meme Team" & being the “only NBA player with one rat-tail & two rings." https://t.co/u3c42NHfpX

— Sam Alipour (@samalipour) September 27, 2018

The big fella promises the L.A. faithful a show this season.

Per ESPN:

Pop quiz: What happens when you put Lance Stephenson, Rajon Rondo, Michael Beasley and JaVale on a roster?

McGee: “The Meme Team.”

I’d binge-watch a reality show of that locker room.

McGee: “I would too. It’s definitely gonna be hilarious. But all memes aren’t bad. There are some positive memes out there.”

This roster was designed in part as an answer to Golden State. They wanted guys who can create around LeBron [James] and get under players’ skin. You know the Dubs. Will that help?

McGee: “Definitely. If you look at all the guys we signed, they don’t care about anything other than getting wins. It’s definitely gonna be a show, but these guys are workers, grinders, and there’s gonna be some real fire lit under our asses out there.”

Related
Luke Walton: Lakers Can Be Title Contenders

The post JaVale McGee: ‘Meme Team’ Lakers Will Be Hilarious appeared first on SLAM.

James and Lakers head coach Luke Walton reportedly plan to discuss how to manage the 33-year-old’s workload during L.A.’s six-game exhibition schedule.

New story: Don’t expect to see too much of LeBron on the court during the preseason https://t.co/iuGSHiMFCE

— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) September 27, 2018

LeBron only suited up in one preseason game ahead of the 2017-18 campaign—while rehabbing from an ankle injury—before playing in all 82 regular season games (a career first.)

Per ESPN:

James and Lakers coach Luke Walton will huddle Friday, sources told ESPN, to determine if the 33-year-old embarking on his 16th NBA season, will suit up for the opener in L.A.’s six-game exhibition slate.

“I don’t know,” James told ESPN after practice Wednesday when asked about how he plans to manage the preseason schedule. “I don’t need preseason games [at this stage of my career] to get ready.”

To be clear, James will not be resting because of any injury rehabilitation, but more for injury prevention.

“I feel great,” James told ESPN.

Related
LeBron James: ‘I Have to Be Patient Right Now’

The post LeBron James: ‘I Don’t Need Preseason Games to Get Ready’ appeared first on SLAM.

Johnson was blown away by the experience of observing King James from up-close.

Magic already excited by LeBron's offseason impact on Lakers. @gregbeacham https://t.co/CRs34YbKpL

— AP Sports (@AP_Sports) September 21, 2018

Johnson and GM Rob Pelinka believe the Purple and Gold have one of the NBA’s deepest rosters heading into the 2018-19 campaign.

Per the AP:

“Just to see all of them together playing a pickup game, oh my goodness,” Johnson said. “It’s something to watch. I’ve watched LeBron from afar. I’ve been at many of his games. But to watch him in the gym is a whole different thing. How much he makes everybody better, but also how he raises everybody’s level of play. His basketball IQ and his leadership ability, it’s all on display.”

And as if he needed any reminder, Johnson has witnessed the singular skills of the 33-year-old James, who agreed to a four-year, $154 million free-agent deal.

“LeBron comes in, and he’s already in midseason form and shooting fadeaways and 3-pointers from almost half-court,” Johnson said with a broad grin. “And you’re sitting there saying, ‘Man, thank God we signed him.'”

Related
Jeanie Buss: ‘They’re Not Laker Fans if They’re Not Happy About LeBron’

The post Magic Johnson: LeBron James ‘Already in Midseason Form’ appeared first on SLAM.

Walton, however, cautions that it will likely take until the playoffs for the team to reach its full potential.

Luke Walton had a measured response when asked if the Lakers are a championship contender.https://t.co/Sc1YTdA6OK pic.twitter.com/6pykkMERAs

— Lakers Nation (@LakersNation) September 16, 2018

Newcomer LeBron James has also insisted that this is by no means a rebuilding year for the Purple and Gold.

Per Lakers Nation (via ESPN):

During “An Evening With the Lakers,” Walton spoke about the possibility of his team being a championship contender and how that can come to fruition as the season goes on:

“September, probably not. Do I think come April, come playoff months? Absolutely I think we are. It takes time. You never just put a team together and they’re instantly a championship contender. That’s what the regular season is going to be all about this year. That’s what these guys coming in every day, playing together, getting to know each other, lifting weights together, is about. I think by the time the season comes and goes and we get towards the playoffs, if all goes the way we plan, then yeah, I truly believe we are.”

Related
LeBron James: Not a Rebuilding Year for the Lakers

The post Luke Walton: Lakers Can Be Title Contenders appeared first on SLAM.

James says the last years of his prime aren’t here yet, and that critics are underestimating what the Lakers can accomplish next season.

New story: LeBron tells @Rachel__Nichols that he doesn’t feel like his prime is ending anytime soon; he doesn’t view the Lakers as a rebuilding team; and Rondo/Lance/Beas/McGee all love basketball which he loves about them https://t.co/qVduX4V8zd

— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) July 30, 2018

The 33-year-old adds that he’s looking forward to leading the Lakers’ new-look roster, and hasn’t felt the need to press the front-office for another headliner.

Per ESPN:

“We just got guys that love to play basketball,” James told ESPN’s Rachel Nichols as part of a wide-ranging sit-down interview Monday at the opening of his I Promise School. “At the end of the day, guys that love to play ball, and that’s what they do every single day, I love that. I love that, and I think [Rob] Pelinka and Magic [Johnson] love that as well, and that’s why they made the signings. And bringing Lance [Stephenson] and JaVale [McGee] and [Michael Beasley] and [Rajon] Rondo, they’re guys that every day that they wake up they think about the game of basketball. And everything else is secondary.

“So we look forward to all the challenges. And, I mean, eyebrows are always going to get raised when my name is involved anyway. So it shouldn’t even be a surprise.”

Does he feel like he is sacrificing a year of his prime to play with a team full of the aforementioned signees and an untested young core, rather than staying on a squad that was more championship ready?

“I don’t even look at it like that because I don’t feel like this is going to be one of the last years of my prime,” James said. “That’s another statistic number, and I’ve always been a part of beating the odds in life. So being around my kids a lot, it gives me even more and more time in my youth.

“So I don’t feel like this is even a rebuilding year for us. We have an opportunity to do something that a lot of people don’t think we can do, and we love the notion of it’s another rebuilding year and we don’t have enough. So that will motivate the guys that we have anyways.”

Related
LeBron James: Joining the Lakers a ‘Dream Come True’

The post LeBron James: Not a Rebuilding Year for the Lakers appeared first on SLAM.

According to an anonymous team executive, head coach Luke Walton will surround James with Lonzo Ball, Josh Hart, Brandon Ingram and Kyle Kuzma in the starting lineup.

PG – Lonzo Ball
SG – Josh Hart
SF – Brandon Ingram
PF – Kyle Kuzma
C – LeBron James

Lakers exec is excited to unleash L.A.’s version of the Death Lineup with Bron at small-ball center https://t.co/WGFtkv2eZQ pic.twitter.com/BxZujSCx1N

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) July 19, 2018

The front-office adds an important caveat:

“The roster we have in October may not be the same come February.”

Per Bleacher Report:

“It won’t feel real to me until I see [James] in training camp,” said a Lakers executive, standing not more than 40 feet from the superstar forward. “It’s still hard to believe.”

For now, that honeymoon glow has reduced the pressure to add a second star. The team missed out on Paul George. Kawhi Leonard is a member of the Raptors—and while ESPN’s Chris Haynes reported that Leonard is not thrilled with the prospect of playing for Toronto, the franchise has a year to change his mind before he hits free agency.

“We may not see this on day one, but the coaching staff is eager to see our version of the [Warriors’] Death Lineup with Lonzo [Ball], Josh Hart, Brandon Ingram, [Kyle] Kuzma and LeBron,” a second Lakers executive said.

Related
Report: LeBron James to Focus on Post Play With the Lakers

The post Lakers Exec: LeBron James to Play Center appeared first on SLAM.

Walton says he’s excited to be James’ co-worker.

Luke Walton & LeBron met up this weekend in Las Vegas. Consider this a good start. https://t.co/nzCC4pBgXO

— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) July 17, 2018

The two hadn’t communicated prior to James inking a four-year, $153 million deal with the Purple and Gold as a free agent this summer.

Per ESPN:

“He’s about the team. He’s about doing things the right way, and he’s about winning,” Walton said. “I can work with those qualities.”

Since James signed a four-year, $153.3 million contract with the Lakers, Walton has sought information from some of James’ former coaches and teammates.

“He told me, ‘I have my pen and paper out already. Let’s hear it,'” Cleveland Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue told ESPN’s Dave McMenamin last week of his initial talk with Walton.

Walton has also reached out to Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra and two of James’ former teammates, Richard Jefferson and Channing Frye, both of whom happen to be friends with Walton.

Related
Luke Walton Contacted Lue, Spoelstra about Coaching LeBron

The post Luke Walton: LeBron James ‘About the Team’ appeared first on SLAM.

Walton and Lue agreed to met for breakfast in Las Vegas on Monday.

Walton also spoke to Richard Jefferson and Channing Frye about their experience with LeBron in Cleveland, per McMenamin.

New story: Count Ty Lue, Erik Spoelstra, Richard Jefferson and Channing Frye among the names Luke Walton has already consulted as he prepares to coach LeBron James https://t.co/JPbzNYPcuN

— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) July 9, 2018

RELATED:
Report: LeBron James Not Pressing Lakers for Second Star

The post Luke Walton Contacted Lue, Spoelstra about Coaching LeBron appeared first on SLAM.

Thomas and Randle both downplayed the incident as a case of miscommunication following a 117-106 road loss to the Golden State Warriors.

Julius Randle described incident with Isaiah Thomas in third quarter as "just communicating, man." Says they "expect a lot out of each other" and "There’s nobody I’d rather go to war with than I.T."

— Bill Oram (@billoram) March 15, 2018

Los Angeles Lakers head coach Luke Walton told reporters that he loved the episode, and that he wants his guys voicing their frustrations and growing from them.

Per the OC Register:

Randle said they were “just communicating.” Thomas said it was “two basketball players competing.” Walton said: “I love it.”

The incident, which quickly spread on social media, brought to mind a similar incident last week in Denver, when Thomas and Kyle Kuzma were caught on camera arguing after a miscommunication on a defensive switch.

“I’m a leader,” Thomas said. “It’s not me getting after anybody, it’s just me leading. If I see something I’m going to say something that goes vice versa, if they see something they should say something.”

Randle’s frustration was still evident when he addressed reporters after the loss, though he no longer seemed upset with Thomas. “There’s nobody I’d rather go to war with than I.T.” he said. “So it’s nothing personal, we’re just trying to get the best out of each other and win the game.”

The post Isaiah Thomas and Julius Randle Downplay Fiery Exchange appeared first on SLAM.

During the third quarter of the Lakers’ 127-113 win over Cleveland on Sunday, a mic’d-up Walton told Randle that he’s “the best one-on-one defender in this league.”

https://twitter.com/TheRenderNBA/status/973085313659682816

Randle not only defended LeBron James well, he finished with one of his best offensive performances of his career.

In 38 minutes, the 23-year-old had 36 points on 14-18 FG with 14 boards and 7 dimes.

https://youtu.be/Y2T6RkKqwVY

The post Luke Walton Calls Julius Randle Best One-on-One Defender in NBA appeared first on SLAM.

IT thinks the roster is still too inexperienced to properly close out NBA games.

Isaiah Thomas doesn't believe the Lakers know how to close games out just yet.https://t.co/8h0VwUmDxk pic.twitter.com/cw2kM4PeG6

— Lakers Nation (@LakersNation) March 9, 2018

Lonzo Ball believes the Lakers “get relaxed” once they grab a lead.

Per Lakers Nation:

“We don’t know how to win yet,” Isaiah Thomas said of the recent growing pains. “We have a young group, we’re not executing the way we need to down the stretch. These guys, half of them are 20 years old. They don’t know how to win an NBA basketball game.”

[Luke] Walton’s belief was shared by Lonzo Ball, who said the Lakers “get relaxed” after jumping out to a comfortable lead. While he doesn’t believe they are there just yet, Thomas is confident the Lakers will shake free from the struggles of protecting a lead.

“It’s the experience, continue to play through the ups and downs of a long season, continue to learn how to win. That just has to do with experience,” he said. “It will definitely come. We’ve got to do a better job of taking care of the ball, getting a shot every time, and just executing. If we execute, we’ll be a lot better.”

The post Isaiah Thomas: Lakers ‘Don’t Know How to Win Yet’ appeared first on SLAM.

While guesting on ESPN x Cycle’s “Buckets,” Buss revealed that Walton will remain the coach in L.A. through the offseason (starting at 6:38):

Do you trust Luke Walton for the remainder of the season, and also free agency in the summer?

 

Buss: “Absolutely. Luke Walton is the Lakers’ coach, period. There’s no worrying about it, there’s no speculation.

 

“He’s done a terrific job. He is somebody that the entire front office, the organization is behind.”

RELATED:
Report: NBA Execs, Agents Think Lakers Are Eyeing David Fizdale

The post Jeanie Buss: ‘Luke Walton Is The Lakers’ Coach, Period’ appeared first on SLAM.

According to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, the Lakers do not support Luke Walton, and NBA executives and agents suspect David Fizdale will be Walton’s replacement.

From the Rich Eisen Show (starting at 0:50):

“Whatever you want to say about LaVar Ball, he has smoked out the fact that the Lakers do not support Luke Walton. And that is now crystal clear.

 

“And there are now guys out there wondering openly to me—executives, coaches, agents—who the Lakers are going to hire as their next coach.

 

“Because that has been revealed here: That they do not have unconditional support for Luke.” […]

 

[3:39] “I got executives in my ear, I got agents in my ear, saying, ‘Oh yeah, they’re probably going to hire David Fizdale.'”

RELATED:
LaVar Ball: ‘They’re Not Playing for Luke [Walton] No More’

The post Report: NBA Execs, Agents Think Lakers Are Eyeing David Fizdale appeared first on SLAM.

Pop joined a chorus of coaches who spoke out in the aftermath of Lonzo Ball‘s father telling the media that Walton had lost his young team.

“It’s a situation that’s going to take some time,” Pop said. “It’s a process and it certainly doesn’t need any outside chatter from people who don’t have a clue and haven’t gotten over themselves.” https://t.co/iXxBP5pKAE

— Bill Oram (@billoram) January 12, 2018

Popovich says Walton “inherently understands the game.”

Per the OC Register:

“I think the first thing to look at is the substance and gravitas of the source that speaks,” Popovich said before his Spurs faced the Lakers. “And just stopping at that point would tell you you don’t need to listen or go any further. It’s just another fan in the peanut gallery with an opinion, which is meaningless.”

 

Popovich’s dismissal of Ball came in response to a question about recent comments from the father of Lakers point guard Lonzo Ball that Walton had lost the support of Lakers players.

 

“Luke has been schooled in this game since he was a little kid,” Popovich said. “He doesn’t even know what he knows probably, just by osmosis. Whether it was living at home or in school as a player, he’s had tremendous experience.

 

“As a player he wasn’t the best athlete in the world, but those are the guys that sometimes understand the game better, it comes a little tougher. They understand what wins and loses, what they have to do to get an advantage, and really understand the game. Which he does.”

Related
Stan Van Gundy Boycotting ESPN Over LaVar Ball

The post Gregg Popovich: LaVar Ball’s Opinion Meaningless appeared first on SLAM.

This isn’t the first time Kerr has gone after the LaVar media circus.

Steve Kerr goes all in on Lavar Ball calling him the “Kardashian of the NBA” and chastised the media for even bothering to cover him. #Warriors pic.twitter.com/LjnVVPy2sw

— 95.7 The Game (@957thegame) January 9, 2018

Current and former NBA coaches have come to Luke Walton‘s defense after LaVar criticized him.

Per the SF Chronicle:

“I was thinking about ESPN, and they laid off, I don’t know, 100 people,” Kerr said. “How many people did they lay off over the last year? Well over 100, many of whom were really talented journalists covering the NBA. So, this is not an ESPN judgment, it’s a societal thing more than anything. Where we’re going is we’re going away from covering the game, and we’re going toward just sensationalized news. It’s not even news, really. It’s just complete nonsense. But if you package that irrational nonsense with glitter and some ribbon, people are going to watch.

 

“So, I talked to people in the media this year. I said, ‘Why do you guys have to cover that guy?’ And they say, ‘Well, we don’t want to, but our bosses tell us we have to because of the ratings, because of the readership.’ Somewhere, I guess in Lithuania, LaVar Ball is laughing. People are eating out of his hands for no apparent reason, other than that he’s become the Kardashian of the NBA or something.”

 

However, Kerr went further Monday, explaining why ESPN’s coverage of Ball is symptomatic of a larger societal issue.

 

“It doesn’t matter if there’s any substance involved in an issue,” Kerr said. “It’s just, ‘Can we make it really interesting for no apparent reason?’ There’s nothing interesting about that story. Do you know how many parents of my players have probably been at home like, ‘Man, he should be playing my kid?’ And yet, we’re sticking a microphone in his face because, apparently, it gets ratings.

 

“I don’t know who cares, but people care. Or else ESPN wouldn’t be spending what they’re spending to send reporters to Lithuania, when they laid off people who were writing really substantial pieces. People like Ethan Strauss and Marc Stein are getting laid off. This is not a condemnation of ESPN. It’s not. It’s a societal issue.”

Related
Rick Carlisle Blasts ESPN for LaVar Ball Coverage

The post Steve Kerr: LaVar Ball ‘Kardashian of the NBA’ appeared first on SLAM.

In response to LaVar Ball‘s claim that Walton isn’t “connecting” with the players, Kuzma said, “We stand by Luke. I know the front office does” (starting at 0:43):

“Luke is my guy. I love playing for him. I’m sure most of us love playing for him too.

 

“We just gotta stay locked in as a family and listen to the people that really matter in our basketball lives, and that’s everybody in this organization.” […]

 

“We stand by Luke. I know the front office does.”

RELATED:
LaVar Ball: ‘They’re Not Playing for Luke [Walton] No More’

The post Kyle Kuzma Says Lakers Players ‘Stand By Luke [Walton]’ appeared first on SLAM.

Carlisle called the piece a “disgrace” and an “ignorant distraction.”

Walton, meanwhile, continues to brush off and make light of Ball’s criticism.

Luke Walton on why he subbed out Lonzo early, "His dad was talking sh–t so I took him out early." He waited a good two seconds before he smiled and made sure everyone knew he was kidding. https://t.co/rMHDMIyhJq

— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) January 8, 2018

Per the Star-Telegram:

“As president of the NBA Coaches Association, I view the ESPN article as a disgrace,” Carlisle said. “Luke Walton is a terrific young coach bringing along a young team,” Carlisle said. “It’s a difficult task. If you don’t believe it, ask me. We’re going through that now and went through it last year.”

 

He went on to suggest ESPN, as a television partner of the NBA, had violated the trust of NBA coaches.

 

“ESPN is an NBA partner and they’ve been a great one. Part of that partnership is that, the coaches do a lot of things to help them with access, interviews and all those kinds of things. In exchange for that, they should back up the coaches,” Carlisle said.

 

“Printing an article where the father of an NBA player has an opinion that is printed that is anything like legitimate, erodes trust. Our coaches are upset. Luke Walton doesn’t deserve that.”

 

Challenged to clarify by ESPN’s Tim McMahon if Carlisle was suggesting that ESPN should run news based on what coaches will like, Carlisle said, “No. I’m saying they should look at their sources and do a better job of determining if their sources have any merit or any validity or are they just blowhard loud mouths. That’s not fair.”

Related
Lakers Asked LaVar Ball to Tone Down Criticism

The post Rick Carlisle Blasts ESPN for LaVar Ball Coverage appeared first on SLAM.

“You can see they’re not playing for Luke no more,” Ball said from a spa resort in Birstonas, where he is staying while his two youngest sons, LiAngelo and LaMelo, get ready to make their professional debuts with Lithuanian team Prienu Vytautas. “Luke doesn’t have control of the team no more. They don’t want to play for him.”

 

“That’s a good team,” he added of the Lakers, who have lost nine straight games. “Nobody wants to play for him. I can see it. No high-fives when they come out of the game. People don’t know why they’re in the game. He’s too young. He’s too young. … He ain’t connecting with them anymore. You can look at every player, he’s not connecting with not one player.”

 

“Lonzo looked good, but he also looked disgusted,” Ball said. “He was ready to play. Four minutes left in the first quarter, he dunked it, getting in a flow and Coach sits him down. Sat him down. Now game goes from four points to 10 to 15 to 20. I don’t know what they’re doing. If he’s ready to play, let him play. Don’t try and monitor no minutes, put on restrictions.”

Walton answered questions about Ball’s comments at Lakers practice on Sunday:

Luke Walton addresses LaVar Ball’s comments on the coach losing the Lakers pic.twitter.com/yrraAApLSz

— Ohm Youngmisuk (@NotoriousOHM) January 7, 2018

Related
Lakers Reportedly Asked LaVar Ball to Tone Down Criticism

The post LaVar Ball: ‘They’re Not Playing for Luke [Walton] No More’ appeared first on SLAM.

Kuzma says his squad—which has now lost eight in a row—became selfish after falling behind to OKC.

With Paul George in the house, Lakers 'flat-out gave up' in loss to OKC https://t.co/xpSt4UKe7N

— Ohm Youngmisuk (@NotoriousOHM) January 4, 2018

Lakers head coach Luke Walton says they “completely stopped competing.”

Per ESPN:

“We gave up,” Kuzma said. “You could see, they got basket after basket, we had no resistance on them on the defensive end and offensive end. When things got tough, we tried to do it individually, and you can’t do that in this league.

 

“They took a little lead, and we just went to being selfish on the floor. We didn’t compete on defense. They killed us. … To lose by [nearly] 40, it is pretty embarrassing to be out there.”

 

The Lakers had a team meeting last Thursday, a “heart-to-heart” in which players aired out their issues, ranging from playing time to the team’s direction building toward next summer when management hopes to revamp the roster.

 

“It felt a little bit like we gave in or we felt sorry for ourselves a little bit, which isn’t who we are as a group,” Walton said of the Lakers, who aside from a six-point double-overtime loss to Houston have lost their other five most recent games by an average of 19.4 points. “I am going to have to check the tape to see why we completely stopped competing out there.”

 

“Our fans deserve better than that, and our organization deserves better than that,” Walton added.

Related
Lakers Hold Team Meeting To Vent Frustrations

The post Kyle Kuzma: Lakers ‘Gave Up’ in Loss to Thunder appeared first on SLAM.

President of basketball operations Magic Johnson and general manager Rob Pelinka.want rookie Lonzo Ball‘s father to help create a positive atmosphere around the young squad.

The Lakers front office recently met with LaVar Ball and asked him to tone down his criticisms of coach Luke Walton and help create a more positive atmosphere around his son, per sources. LaVar tells ESPN "it was the best thing." https://t.co/FZSucKrLkH

— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) December 13, 2017

Just don’t expect LaVar to tone it all the way down.

Per ESPN:

LaVar Ball confirmed the meeting took place, telling ESPN, “It was the best thing, man. Everybody’s going to try to make it an ego thing, like I’m trying to tell them what to do or they’re trying to tell me to tone it down. It’s not about that. It’s about coming together and to get a solution to this problem.

 

“It may sound crazy to other people, but I really just want the best for Lonzo, and the best for Lonzo is going to be what’s best for the organization. Because if everybody winning, we good.”

 

Ball said he agreed with that characterization, for the most part, and that he told Johnson and Pelinka he understood their position and would try to abide by that request.

 

“I’m going to say whatever I want to say, however I want to say it,” Ball said. “And they said, ‘LaVar, come and talk to us first.’ So that’s fine too. But I am going to say, to plant a seed, ‘Let’s look for this now.’ They may not want to hear that, but it’s going to be successful if you listen to what I’m saying on that fact that I know what it takes for my son to run like this.”

Related
Report: Lakers To Enforce Media Policy Viewed as ‘LaVar Ball Rule’

The post Lakers Asked LaVar Ball to Tone Down Criticism appeared first on SLAM.

The younger ball is “not used to losing like this,” says his old man.

LaVar can’t understand why Luke Walton isn’t relying on the rookie point guard more in the fourth quarter of games.

"He's disgusted, he's not used to losing like this. The #Lakers should build around Lonzo. Why are they sitting him down and not starting him the 4th quarter? This is why the record is raggedy." –@bigballerbrand CEO @Lavarbigballer on @ZO2_ pic.twitter.com/Krs6SALnhc

— SiriusXM NBA Radio (@SiriusXMNBA) December 5, 2017

The Lakers (8-15) have lost five in a row, and the struggles are taking a toll on Walton’s young squad.

Per the OC Register:

All those seasons playing youth basketball on teams coached by his father, four years at Chino Hills High, one at UCLA, and Lonzo Ball could not remember ever losing this many games in a row.

 

After the Lakers’ latest loss Sunday against Houston, he sighed and fluttered his lips and said, “Five? Probably not five, no. I don’t think anybody likes losing, so we’ve got to turn it around as fast as possible.”

 

The losses might be taking a toll on his players, but Walton sits back and sees things a little differently.

 

“It still hurts to lose and it’s tough to sleep after losses,” Walton said. “But it doesn’t hurt as bad this year, because I can see where this team is and where this team is going and the individual progress that’s being made.”

Related
LaVar Ball Critical of Luke Walton and Julius Randle After Loss to Warriors

The post LaVar Ball Says Lonzo Ball is ‘Disgusted’ By Lakers’ Struggles appeared first on SLAM.

Ball criticized Lakers head coach Luke Walton for stopping the clock late in regulation, and forward Julius Randle for over-dribbling instead of dishing the rock to his son, Lonzo.

(Brandon Ingram missed a driving layup—the would-be game-winner—after Walton’s timeout with 5.3 seconds left, and the game went into the extra session.)

Here's the play LaVar Ball highlighted as the "crucial point" in the Lakers missing an opportunity to knock off the Warriors: not kicking the ball ahead off KD's late miss + calling timeout. pic.twitter.com/7zBiKoZ3DT

— Dan Devine (@YourManDevine) November 30, 2017

“I’ll tell you the crucial point,” LaVar Ball told ESPN’s Chris Haynes.

 

“When Julius got that ball at the end, he should’ve threw it forward. Lonzo had a wide-open layup! Or a 3-pointer! That’s game! You wouldn’t have went to overtime. That was game.

 

“Julius tried to take too many dribbles, and then they fouled him, or they called timeout. But if he would’ve threw the ball ahead? The coach wouldn’t have called timeout. Even if he did, he can’t call it, because the ball’s in the air. Lonzo was running the lane. Game over. That’s the best time to score, when it’s nine seconds left and your coach don’t call timeout!

 

“Every time they score two 3-pointers — it’s a game of runs — don’t call timeout because that’s means you’re scared. You make two 3-pointers on me, I got two more to come. … Do the Big Baller move, don’t call no timeouts!”

Related
LaVar Ball Unhappy With Lonzo Ball’s Playing Time

The post LaVar Ball Critical of Luke Walton and Julius Randle After Loss to Warriors appeared first on SLAM.

Walton says Ball is still the starting point guard in Los Angeles.

Walton was asked if he's considered bringing Lonzo off the bench in order to manage expectations. He said no. "He's our starter."

— Tania Ganguli (@taniaganguli) November 16, 2017

Ball, 20, has sat in the fourth quarter of the Lakers’ past two games.

Per ESPN:

“He’s our starting point guard,” Walton said of Ball after practice Thursday. “So there’s no discussion, no talks as of now of moving Lonzo to the bench. Nah. He’s our starting point guard.”

 

Walton said he was told Ball came to the practice facility late Wednesday night and worked on his shot after going 1-for-9 from the field, including 0-for-6 from 3-point range, in the 115-109 loss to the Sixers at Staples Center.

 

Walton noticed that the normally even-keeled, easygoing Ball wasn’t as playful at the team facility Thursday as he normally is. “That could be a good thing that he’s frustrated or mad a little bit,” Walton said.

The post Luke Walton Won’t Bench Lonzo Ball appeared first on SLAM.

According to the elder Ball, the Los Angeles Lakers would never lose if his son simply played the entire fourth quarter.

LaVar says Lonzo’s shooting would improve if he played the whole 4th quarter: "He’s not in the flow” https://t.co/yZUa89DixY pic.twitter.com/AZobTmYTeE

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) November 7, 2017

LaVar thinks head coach Luke Walton is hurting Lonzo’s rhythm.

Per Bleacher Report:

“You’ve got to shoot the ball,” LaVar Ball said after the Lakers’ 124-112 win over the Nets on Friday. “You’re not going to make it if you don’t take it.”

 

The senior Ball also has some concerns about head coach Luke Walton’s rotation with his son.

 

“Let him play the whole fourth quarter and bet you’ll always win. He’ll get into a better flow,” Ball said. “The in and out, sitting out six to 10 minutes? He’s not going to take no shots because he’s not in the flow. He don’t want to hurt the team by shooting.”

 

Walton understands it’s an adjustment for rookies as they find their way in the NBA. “It’s not even really the minutes, as much as just being the best player on your team,” Walton said. “When you’re the guy that everything goes through, you find rhythms throughout the game. You get to this level and…you start as more of a role player and you work your way up. It takes time to get used to.”

The post LaVar Ball Unhappy With Lonzo Ball’s Playing Time appeared first on SLAM.

As explained by SB Nation’s Anthony Irwin, LA has a 46.9% chance of holding on to their selection.But apparently they shouldn’t sweat it.

On CBS Sports Program We Need To Talk, coach Luke Walton said with a laugh that president of basketball operations Magic Johnson told him they will land in the top-3: “Magic’s already assured me that we’re going to get our top-three pick this year, so I’m excited about that.”

The lottery is May 16.

Related
Lonzo Ball Compares Himself to Magic Johnson
Report: Paul George ‘Wants to Wear the Purple and Gold’

The post Magic Johnson Tells Luke Walton Lakers Will Get Top-3 Pick appeared first on SLAM.

Walton claimed that a member of the Bucks’ security staff shoved Brandon Ingram during the exchange.

“And then watching the tape,” said Walton, “one of their employees is on the floor, and he grabs Brandon by the jersey and shoves him—not holding him back, shoves him—and that doesn’t get addressed either?

 

“If there’s nothing wrong with that, then I have no problem finding some people to hire on our staff.”

Walton also took issue with the ref’s decision to punish D’Angelo Russell with the same penalty as Greg Monroe, who delivered a fierce shove to Nick Young’s neck.

“So for the NBA to say that the two of them did the same thing and just canceled each other out is absolute crap to me because D’Angelo just shoved [Monroe] in the back; Monroe grabbed [Young] by the neck.

 

“I don’t know if he was mad that [Ivica] Zubac was kicking his butt all night long out there. But you grab someone by the neck? That’s not right. And then Monroe went and slapped Brandon in the face.

 

“So he did all that and he got the same penalty as when D’Angelo did it for shoving someone in the back that was a teammate. So that’s crap to me.”

RELATED:
WATCH: Lakers, Bucks Get into Scuffle

The post Luke Walton To Bucks Staffer: ‘Don’t Touch My Damn Players’ appeared first on SLAM.

Three years ago, he was pushing for the Lakers to openly and shamelessly tank.

.@MagicJohnson doesn't want to use Lakers' youth as an excuse. But he's more patient than usual https://t.co/GON8pLLrkk

— Mark Medina (@MarkG_Medina) January 18, 2017

The Hall of Famer wants second-year point guard D’Angelo Russell to take on a bigger leadership role, and praised Nick Young for playing inspired ball on both ends of the court (praise that delighted Swaggy P):

“Fans have to be encouraged, but Lakers fans are tired of losing,” Johnson told Southern California News Group. “We’re trying as Lakers fans to still be patient. But it’s hard. We have to wait some more?”

 

Johnson suspects the 20-year-old Russell has become somewhat hesitant with that responsibility out of respect for the team’s veterans and for the teammates who are in his age range. Russell agreed. […] “It’s hard; it’s not easy,” Russell said. “I’m trying to communicate and talk with guys as much as possible. I’m trying to figure out how to talk to guys. We’re all young. Figuring it out for everybody is key.”

 

“It’s the best I’ve ever seen him play,” Johnson said of the nine-year NBA veteran. “He’s played both ends of the court and has played smart. He’s played for the team.” […] “Magic Johnson? The Magic Johnson? For real?” said Young, a Los Angeles native who starred at USC. “To hear that from the top three greatest player of all time, that’s a confidence booster. I’ve always looked up to Showtime and Magic. For him to even notice that is a blessing.”

Related
Lakers Remove Magic Johnson’s Honorary Vice President Title

The post Magic Johnson: ‘Lakers Fans are Tired of Losing’ appeared first on SLAM.

Upset with commentary from Luke’s father, Hall of Famer and broadcaster Bill Walton, “they said they were going to make my life hell,” Luke recalls.

Malone won with a bid of $20,000, and promised to make the 23-year-old’s life miserable—in a carry-my-bags, get-donuts type of way.

Walton and Malone, however, quickly became close friends. More from Bleacher Report:

“They all hated my dad for one reason or another. I’m sure he had said something about all of them. They said they were going to make my life hell.”

 

“They had an auction to see whose rookie I’d be,” Walton said. “Karl Malone played $20,000 in the pot, so I was his personal rookie. Anything he wanted I was going to have to do.”

 

But it didn’t last. Malone eased up when he saw how unselfish Luke was on the court. “We got along so well. I did everything he asked,” Luke says. “He was like, ‘Look, we’re not going to take out our feelings of your dad on you.'”

RELATED:
Kobe Bryant Scored ’70-Something’ on a Hungover Luke Walton at Practice
Lou Williams: Lakers Want to ‘Run Through A Wall’ For Luke Walton

The post Karl Malone Dropped $20K To Have Luke Walton as His ‘Personal Rookie’ appeared first on SLAM.

The first-year coach urged his squad to be mentally tougher, a message that was well-received by the players.

The consensus in the locker room was that Luke Walton challenged the team to get back to who they are. Talked about not being mentally soft.

— Tania Ganguli (@taniaganguli) December 15, 2016

Even Larry Nance Jr.’s massive throwdown couldn’t perk the Lakers up following a 107-97 road L to the Brooklyn Nets.

Per the LA Times:

“It’s true,” forward Larry Nance Jr. said. “We’ve been getting mentally outworked. … There’s been a lot of issues we’ve had. I think the resiliency we’re lacking right now is due to a weakness mentally.”

 

Said forward Julius Randle: “We do have to man up. Coach is exactly right, we’ve gotta get back to being us. Got too many guys pouting or whatever it may be, complaining, whatever it is. Things aren’t going our way, not making shots. We just gotta step up.”

 

Said shooting guard Nick Young: “I know I’m not soft. My teammates aren’t soft. So we gotta show it and prove ourselves. He believes too much in us for us to go out like this.”

Related
Luke Walton Fined $15K for Cussing Out a Ref

The post Luke Walton Called the Lakers Mentally Soft appeared first on SLAM.

Looks like Luke Walton might need that @KGArea21 cuss button (NSFW) pic.twitter.com/19pG5w9l2w

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) December 13, 2016

Walton was booted out of the Los Angeles Lakers’ 116-92 road loss Monday night to the Sacramento Kings.

The first-year head coach says it was worth it.

Per the OC Register:

“If our guys aren’t getting the way I feel is treated right, then I’m going to stand up for them,” Walton said before Wednesday’s game against Brooklyn at Barclays Center. “That’s what we do as a team. I was always raised that team is a family. You stand up for your family. You stand up for your brothers. As a head coach, that’s what I’m going to do every time for my guys.”

 

Walton was upset that officials did not call a foul on Kings center DeMarcus Cousins after knocking Lakers forward Julius Randle to the floor. Afterward, Randle said he appreciated Walton’s gesture.

 

“We’ve got a pretty good relationship with the coaches and players on our staff,” Walton said. “I think they know we’re here for them and push them to be better and we want to push them to be great.”

The post Luke Walton Fined $15K for Cussing Out a Ref appeared first on SLAM.

After the contest, Walton told ESPN that he was “standing up for his guys:”

“I just felt like I needed to stand up for my guys,” Walton said after the game. “What happened on the floor wasn’t right, and my only concern is our guys in the locker room and our team. If I feel like something’s not right, I’m going to stand up for my guys.”

Randle said that he “loves Walton” and having his player’s backs makes him “wants you want to go out there and bust your butt for him:”

“Oh, I love Coach, man,” Randle said. “Coach, that’s my guy. He backs me up with everything. He has all of our backs 100 percent. I love Coach. He has our back 100 percent. It makes you want to go out there and bust your butt for him.”

Sacramento won the game 116-92. L.A. has lost seven straight.

The post WATCH: Luke Walton Gets Ejected From Kings-Lakers Game appeared first on SLAM.

Last season, the Lakers did not win their fourth game until December 15. Six games into this season and L.A. is already 4-3. As has been covered extensively, Byron Scott did not mesh well with the team’s youth movement and it sounds like new head coach Luke Walton’s message and style is resonating with the roster.

After last night’s dub against the Suns, Lou Williams told ESPN‘s Mike Trudell that the team wants to “run through a wall for [Walton]:”

Lou Williams said Luke Walton has a way of making the players feel like they’re his teammates, and want to “run through a wall for him.”

— Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) November 7, 2016

Before the season even started, point guard D’Angelo Russell was singing Walton’s praises saying that the former Warriors bench coach is “always involved:”

“I feel like I can call him anytime. He’s not like a head coach that will sit back and just watch his other coaches and colleagues just train other players, he’s always involved. He’ll get out there and play with you if he wants. It’s just great to have a young coach like him in the building.”

Related
WATCH: Los Angeles Lakers Dominate 117-97 Win Over Warriors
D’Angelo Russell: ‘There’s Freedom In Kobe Not Being Around’

The post Lou Williams: Lakers Want to ‘Run Through A Wall’ For Luke Walton appeared first on SLAM.

Russell, 20, says he’s enjoying his newfound “freedom”.

Laker Nation will now be looking to its promising young core to lead them into the future.

Per ESPN:

“Coach’s style of play is run-and-gun and try to make the right play,” Russell says. “He wants us to learn from each other, play off each other, and he’s always encouraging us in practice, whether it’s to shoot the ball or to get a stop so we can have fun on the other end. Hearing that from your coach is the best feeling in the world.”

 

Meanwhile, a new team philosophy-and a Kobe-sized hole in the game plan-has Clarkson, at least, envisioning a Warriors South in LA. “We’re all about playing together now,” he says. “It’s not about one guy anymore. It’s about sacrificing for the team.” Adds Russell, “Kobe deserved every bit of attention he got in his last year, but there’s freedom in Kobe not being around.”

 

There’s also a leadership vacuum that they plan to fill as a unit. “There’s no one leader, no face of the Lakers,” Russell says, citing the Spurs as the template. “When we traveled to San Antonio last season, I noticed that it’s about everybody-they had all those household names, but the 15th guy got the same amount of attention as Tim Duncan, who’s a legend. I feel like we’re all buying into that concept. We’re a team now. And that’s exciting.”

Related
Lakers GM: ‘We Cannot Move on as a Team Until Kobe Leaves’

The post D’Angelo Russell: ‘There’s Freedom in Kobe Not Being Around’ appeared first on SLAM.

Walton was an assistant coach in Golden State last season, and says Jefferson kept reminding him that his Warriors collapsed in historic fashion.

.@Lakers head coach Luke Walton joins us this week! And his ol' buddy Richard Jefferson pays him a surprise visit… https://t.co/LKkBgYPoZ1

— Open Run (@openrun) October 12, 2016

That’s just cold, RJ.

Per CBS:

“All summer long, I’ve had to hear from Richard,” Walton said on a recent episode of the podcast Open Run.

 

“Anytime we are doing anything competitive and his team is losing, he will be like ‘Hey, guys, I’ve been down way worse than this and won. So don’t worry about it.’ That’s his go-to line all summer.”

Related
Stephen Curry: ‘I Still Haven’t Gotten Over Game 7’

The post Richard Jefferson Kept Reminding Luke Walton That Warriors Blew 3-1 NBA Finals Lead appeared first on SLAM.

Walton, the current Los Angeles Lakers head coach, shared a great story of how The Black Mamba mercilessly lit him up as he struggled with a hangover.

https://twitter.com/hmfaigen/status/786385153891438592

Bryant made Walton check him one-on-one the entire practice, which is of course a nightmare scenario even if he had been sober.

Per Silver Screen and Roll (via Open Run):

“I probably had too much to drink the night before,” Walton recalled. “So I came in, I was a rookie, I felt good, and they could smell some alcohol on me, and Kobe informed the rest of the team that nobody was allowed to help me on defense, and that I had to guard him the entire practice.

 

“And I was laughing at first, like ‘oh, this is funny,’ Walton continued. “But in Kobe’s mind, in his eyes, he was like ‘no, i see and smell weakness, I’m going to destroy you today.’ He taught me a lesson (laughing), he taught me a lesson. He probably scored 70-something in practice that day, and I’m begging for help, but none of my teammates would help. His killer instinct, and his work ethic will stick with me forever.”

The post Kobe Bryant Scored ’70-Something’ on a Hungover Luke Walton at Practice appeared first on SLAM.

Russell, 20, even told Bleacher Report that he used to play as Walton in 2K as a kid. Wait, hold up…he played as Luke Walton?

“I told him I remember playing with him on (NBA) 2K; I used to always play as him. I’m a fan. I’m definitely a fan. Because he was a point forward. I can’t speak on Elgin Baylor and all those guys, but my era, I know he was a point forward.”

Stephen Jackson, who competed against Walton for many years, is calling the young rookie’s bluff in a scathing post on Instagram.

Jackson on Instagram: “The new NBA. Brown nosing at its best. To be real Luke Walton didn’t pick Luke Walton on 2k. GTFOH. Smdh. U gonna start Kid u ain’t gotta do all that bruh. Man it’s sad I tell ya. Just be real with others and they will respect that.”

Jackson is known for keeping it 100 percent real, but acusing Russell of “brown-nosing” is a bit of a stretch.

Only one thing is for sure: D’Angelo Russell is very happy with his new head coach.

Related:
D’Angelo Russell: ‘Last Off-Season Was Looney Tunes’
SLAM Top 50: D’Angelo Russell, No. 49

The post Stephen Jackson Accuses D’Angelo Russell of ‘Brown Nosing’ appeared first on SLAM.

Russell is ready to put all of that behind him, and says he learned a lot during his rookie campaign.

The 20-year-old feels empowered by Luke Walton to run the Los Angeles Lakers’ offense in 2016-17.

Per Fox Sports:

I’m curious — what was the first conversation you and Luke Walton had the moment you met after he was hired as head coach?

 

D’ANGELO RUSSELL: “When I first met Luke, the vibe was like: ‘I know this guy.’ There were no awkward silences. No stares into space. We cooked so well. When we started practicing and getting out on the court, he played with us, and I’m like: ‘I’m not used to this’ because last year was my rookie year and that’s all I knew.”

 

So, your rookie year…

 

DAR: “If it was bad … or whatever it was … It was bad. It wasn’t the best rookie year. But, I had some big learning experience from it and coming into this year — I’m beyond excited.”

 

Is there a specific part of your game that he [Luke Walton] wants you to focus on before the season starts?

 

DAR: “He wants me to shoot the ball when I’m open. When a coach tells you to shoot the ball, it’s like a green light for you. You can’t want that more than anything. But the catch is you got to be good enough to know that when you’re not open, you gotta pass. That’s the responsibility he’s thrown at me and everybody.”

The post D’Angelo Russell: ‘It Wasn’t the Best Rookie Year’ appeared first on SLAM.

Yesterday, the Lakers unveiled the name of the organization’s new training facility and Russell had high-praise for his new coach.

Via Lakers Nation:

“He’s one of the best people I know, as far as off the court,” Russell said of his new head coach on Wednesday. “c I feel like I can call him anytime. He’s not like a head coach that will sit back and just watch his other coaches and colleagues just train other players, he’s always involved. He’ll get out there and play with you if he wants. It’s just great to have a young coach like him in the building.”

Russell was impressive during the Las Vegas Summer League and the Lakers’ fan base is expecting big things from the former No. 2 overall pick.

The post D’Angelo Russell: ‘Luke Walton Is Not a Head Coach That Will Sit Back And Watch Other Coaches Train Players’ appeared first on SLAM.

Terry says he respects Walton for being up-front with him.

Per SiriusXM NBA Radio (via Lakers Nation):

“I called my good friend Luke [Walton],” Terry said. “I told him if he needed any help- veteran leadership, in that capacity, with an ability to coach at the end of my deal, then that was something I would be looking forward to. He utterly declined, and I respect him for that.”

The 38-year-old guard landed in Milwaukee, and wants to provide the young Bucks with veteran leadership.

Per the Journal Sentinel:

Terry believes his 17 years in the NBA will translate into a mentoring role with the young Bucks seeking a bounce-back season in 2016-’17.

 

“I think it’s very important,” Terry said in an interview after signing a one-year deal to rejoin former Dallas Mavericks teammate Jason Kidd, entering his third season as the Bucks coach. […] If you look at all playoff and championship teams, they have solid veteran guys to steer the ship. There are going to be times during the season when the coach’s voice, some of the young guys get tired of hearing it. That’s when the veteran leadership steps in and says, ‘No, we’re not going to go away from the ship. We’re going to continue to follow the right direction.’”

 

It will help that Terry and Kidd have such a close relationship. They played together on the 2011 Mavericks team that won the NBA championship, and Terry was on the Nets roster in Brooklyn during Kidd’s first year as a pro coach in 2013-’14. […] “I just knew if I had an opportunity to either play again for him or coach with him, I would take it,” Terry said.

The post Jason Terry Says the Lakers Turned Him Down appeared first on SLAM.

.@NickSwagyPYoung said he's making peace w/ @Dloading. Young said "we'll be able to work it out" if he is w/ Lakers. https://t.co/YETUYYdvI6

— Mark Medina (@MarkG_Medina) August 15, 2016

Young, 31, is excited to play for new Lakers head coach Luke Walton and move on from the Byron Scott nightmare.

He knows, though, that he may not have much of a future in the Purple and Gold.

Per the OC Register:

Young also seemed at peace surrounding an incident that fueled frustration throughout a taxing 2015-16 season. Young maintained he no longer harbors animosity toward second-year guard D’Angelo Russell, who secretly recorded Young on his phone admitting to infidelities with rapper and former fiancee Iggy Azalea. When the video accidentally became public late last season, Young was not initially receptive toward Russell’s efforts to apologize.

 

“We’re teammates,” Young said. “It’s been so long, so it’s kind of old. We’ll be able to work it out. We’ve already been working it out. I can’t be mad forever.”

 

Young sounded uncertain whether the Lakers will buy out his two-year contract worth $11 million before training camp starts in late September. Young indirectly outlined reasons for the Lakers to consider giving him another chance. He reported devoting plenty of his offseason toward improving his strength and conditioning. After clashing the past two seasons with then-Lakers coach Byron Scott about his public criticisms and role, Young sounded thrilled about Luke Walton’s subsequent hiring. […] “It’s a breath of fresh air for me,” Young said of Walton, who spent the past two seasons as a Golden State Warriors assistant. “Luke is a big-time coach and came from a championship team. I think I have the tools that we can use as a shooter.”

The post Nick Young on D’Angelo Russell: ‘I Can’t Be Mad Forever’ appeared first on SLAM.

The Lakers’ new head coach says the team will play a fun brand of ball next season, and calls this his “dream job.”

Walton, 36, is excited to mold the Lakers’ crop of young talent.

Per the LA Daily News:

Walton noted the franchise’s exciting young talent, the amount of money the team can afford to spend in free agency and the opportunity to turn things around for a franchise that is coming off some of its worst seasons ever.

 

“The fact that (General Manager) Mitch (Kupchak) and (vice president of basketball operations) Jimmy Buss trusted me to be part of this rebuilding, post-Kobe era means the world to me,” Walton said. “Everything excites me. We have young talented players, we have draft picks, we have $60-70 million in free agency, the greatest fans.”

 

“Our players are going to like coming into practice every day,” he said. “We are going to play a brand of bball that the L.A. fans will appreciate. You have to make it fun for them. Basketball is meant to be a game of joy.”

The post Luke Walton Promises the Lakers Will Become Fun to Watch Again appeared first on SLAM.

Not to worry, Luke: the Purple and Gold will be picking second overall in the NBA Draft this summer.

Before lottery, Warriors PR czar Raymond Ridder texted Luke Walton that Lakers got 4th pick. Luke fell for the prank, now has last laugh.

— Bill Oram (@billoram) May 18, 2016

No. 2 pick, here we come! #GoLakers pic.twitter.com/o3WkbuHBvc

— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) May 18, 2016

Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak was relieved by the news, and says the team is in a much better spot than they were a year ago.

Per the LA Times:

The Lakers would have lost their top-three protected pick had two teams passed them in the 14-team lottery. There was a 44.2% chance that would happen.

 

The typically stoic Kupchak even managed a grin afterward. It certainly beat chagrin, in his mind. […] The lottery provided “drama that really, at this stage of my life, is unnecessary,” the 61-year-old Kupchak said.

 

Their first-round pick in the 2017 draft will again be top-three protected, not that Kupchak wanted to be reminded of it. […] “I don’t want to be here next year,” he said, repeating it for emphasis.

The post Luke Walton Fell for Prank That Lakers Lost Their Lottery Pick appeared first on SLAM.

Scott, 55, thought he still had support in the front-office and time to turn things around.

The former Laker diplomatically says he wishes the organization well going forward.

Per the LA Daily News

Scott’s combined 38-126 record finished just above George Mikan for the franchise’s worst all-time winning percentage among its 20 coaches. So much that the newly hired Luke Walton compiled more wins as Golden State’s interim head coach (39-4) this season than Scott collected through two years.

 

Yet, Scott hardly could rely on Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson to splash opponents with three-pointers. Nor could he plug in Draymond Green and Andre Iguodala to fill any needed role. Hence, Scott appeared on the “Dan Patrick Show” on Monday and reported feeling “a little blindsided” when the Lakers fired him last week even if he described the last two years as “very rough.” […] “That’s what I expected. When I took the job, when we sat down, Mitch [Kupchak] and I and Jim [Buss], that was the whole premise of the conversation,” Scott said, referring to his job interviews he had with the Lakers’ general manager and executive vice president of players personnel. “These next two or three years are going to be pretty tough. Can I handle the situation. I said, I can handle it. I’ll get the team to come to work every single day with a smile on my face and be very positive. It’s my nature to keep working. That’s what I continued to do.”

 

The Lakers resisted firing Scott during his second season because of two challenging variables. They remained mindful of what Scott called a “juggling act.” How can he manage both (Kobe) Bryant’s workload and farewell tour in his 20th and final NBA season, while also developing their core roster in D’Angelo Russell, Julius Randle, Jordan Clarkson, Larry Nance Jr. and Anthony Brown?

The post Byron Scott ‘Blindsided’ By the Lakers Firing Him appeared first on SLAM.

Walton will not run the triangle offense as the Lakers' coach. It's not the "most appropriate" offense for personnel they have, he said.

— Mike Bresnahan (@Mike_Bresnahan) April 30, 2016

Walton reportedly inked a five-year deal worth $25 million to replace Byron Scott.

The 36-year-old is high on the Lakers’ young talent.

Walton on Julius Randle: "That kid averaged 10 rebounds a game as pretty much a rookie? That’s insane. This is a grown-man league."

— Mike Bresnahan (@Mike_Bresnahan) April 30, 2016

Walton on D'Angelo: "He has very high potential. To me, he can be a perennial All-Star." Likes how he can score from 3-pt range + the post.

— Mike Bresnahan (@Mike_Bresnahan) April 30, 2016

Walton on Clarkson: "He’s another active athlete. He’s constantly in attack mode, which is what you want." Walton likes his work ethic too.

— Mike Bresnahan (@Mike_Bresnahan) April 30, 2016

Per the LA Times:

Someone played “I Love L.A.” very loudly behind closed doors toward the end of the Golden State Warriors’ practice. […] The 36-year-old agreed to a five-year deal worth about $25 million Friday with the Lakers. Despite their 17-65 finish this season, Walton was all smiles Saturday after the music, and Warriors practice, ended.

 

“I played for the Lakers and I feel part of that family. It’s kind of nice to be able to go back and try to help rebuild what we used to have there,” Walton said. […] Walton, 36, will not run the triangle offense he played for the Lakers when Phil Jackson was his coach because it isn’t the “most appropriate” for the personnel they have. He’s opting instead for the space-and-pace mind-set of the Warriors.

 

Of course, the Lakers will have to do it with D’Angelo Russell, Jordan Clarkson and Julius Randle — not Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green. […] This seems fine with Walton, who is cognizant the Lakers will have about $60 million to spend on free agents this summer. They also have a 55.8% chance at keeping their top-three protected draft pick at the May 17 lottery.

The post Luke Walton Will Not Run Triangle Offense With the Lakers appeared first on SLAM.

On Friday, Walton’s former team from his playing days, the L.A. Lakers, snatched the Warriors’ assistant off the market for next season and beyond, signing Walton to a multi-year deal.

Walton was reportedly the only candidate the Lakers interviewed, according to ESPN. The Kings, Rockets and Knicks all reportedly asked for permission to interview Walton.

Walton was drafted 32nd overall in 2003 by the Lakers and won two titles with L.A. in 2009 and 2010.

From the Lakers:

Earlier today, the Los Angeles Lakers and Luke Walton reached an agreement on a multi-year contract for Walton to become the next Head Coach of the team, it was announced by General Manager Mitch Kupchak. Walton will begin his new duties at the conclusion of the Golden State Warriors season.

 

“We’re excited to bring Luke back to Los Angeles, where we feel he’s going to start an outstanding coaching career,” said Kupchak. “He’s one of the brightest young coaching minds in the game and we feel fortunate that he’ll be leading the on-court future of our team.”

The post Lakers Hire Luke Walton As Head Coach appeared first on SLAM.

The Lakers must fill their now-vacant head coaching position after parting ways with Byron Scott last Sunday.

Walton will chat with his former team prior to the start of the postseason’s second round.

Per the AP:

Golden State coach Steve Kerr said Wednesday before Game 5 of the playoffs against Houston that Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak contacted Warriors GM Bob Myers, who said Walton could interview once the first-round series is done. The Warriors held a 3-1 advantage in the best-of-seven series going into Wednesday.

 

“Mitch has called Bob and we’ve told Mitch he’s perfectly welcome to talk to Luke as soon as this series is over and we have a little break,” Kerr said.

 

The 36-year-old Walton, who won two championships during his nine seasons playing for the Lakers, guided defending champion Golden State to a record 24-0 start this season while filling in for Kerr when the coach was on a leave of absence following complications from two back surgeries. Overall, Walton was 39-4 while Kerr was out, and he finished eighth in Coach of the Year voting. […] “It is impressive for an assistant coach. I think he should have been higher,” Golden State power forward Draymond Green said.

Related
Luke Walton Reportedly Not Interested in the Knicks’ Coaching Job

The post Warriors Grant Lakers Permission to Interview Luke Walton appeared first on SLAM.

Congratulations to @SteveKerr on being named the 2015-16 @NBA Coach of the Year! #DubNation pic.twitter.com/7sLzpZLEzK

— GoldenStateWarriors (@warriors) April 26, 2016

NBA coach of the year results, top five:
Steve Kerr, 381 points
Terry Stotts, 335
Gregg Popovich, 166
Steve Clifford, 98
Dwane Casey, 83

— Jeff Zillgitt (@JeffZillgitt) April 26, 2016

Kerr missed the first 43 games after undergoing a pair of back operations, but under the Dubs never missed a beat under assistant coach Luke Walton

The last Warriors coach to win this award is Don Nelson (1992).

Per ESPN:

Complications from two offseason back surgeries forced Kerr to miss the first 43 games of Golden State’s title defense — with interim coach Luke Walton posting a record of 39-4 in Kerr’s absence — but he ultimately won the balloting in a very deep field not only for his coaching but his role in building the culture that put the Warriors on a path for a record-setting 73 wins.

 

Fueled by a 24-0 start, which bettered the previous league record for an unbeaten launch to an NBA season by nine games, Golden State went 73-9 in the regular season to trump the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls for the best single-season mark in league history.

 

Kerr finished second in Coach of the Year balloting behind Atlanta’s Mike Budenholzer last season, which was Kerr’s first season as a head coach. That team went 67-15 en route to winning the Warriors’ first championship in 40 years.

The post Steve Kerr Wins Coach of the Year Award appeared first on SLAM.

Among the names said to be in the running for the high-profile gig is Derek Fisher.

Sources indicate Derek Fisher has interest in the Lakers job. Obviously Laker front office still compiling their… https://t.co/sIg9FqjUyE

— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) April 25, 2016

As @WojVerticalNBA has reported, Tom Thibodeau absolutely would have given the Lakers a look. Timing is everything in life.

— Zach Lowe (@ZachLowe_NBA) April 25, 2016

They wouldn't have offered Thibs what he got in Minnesota — personnel control — but they could have tried to offer what LA has.

— Zach Lowe (@ZachLowe_NBA) April 25, 2016

Luke Walton, Jeff Van Gundy, Kevin Ollie and Ettore Messina have also been mentioned as potential candidates to lead the Purple and Gold into the future.

Per the LA Times:

Scott was thanked for his “hard work, dedication and loyalty,” but the team decided it was “in the best interest of the organization to make a change at this time,” according to a brief statement from Lakers General Manager Mitch Kupchak released by the team about 9:15 p.m. Sunday.

 

Kupchak and team Vice President Jim Buss made the decision jointly, according to a person who was familiar with the situation. Team President Jeanie Buss “absolutely” did not take part in the process, continuing to allow her brother, Jim, and Kupchak to preside unencumbered over the team’s basketball operations. […] Jim Buss said two years ago he would resign his executive position “in three to four years if we’re not back on the top — and the definition of top means contending for the Western Conference, contending for a championship.”

 

A little more than a week ago, Kupchak appeared to give Scott a vote of confidence, saying he did an “excellent job” under the circumstances of an inexperienced roster mixed in with Kobe Bryant’s final season. […] Scott went 21-61 in his first season with the Lakers, setting a low for the franchise. He followed it up with a 17-65 mark this season, again reaching new depths for losing.

The post Report: Derek Fisher Interested in the Lakers’ Coaching Job appeared first on SLAM.

The Zen Master says no such conversation has taken place, and the media reports that Walton has gently turned his former coach down.

Luke Walton turned Phil down for assistant job NYK in 2014. Considering what's happened to Warriors & Knicks last 2 years, NY is tough sell.

— Frank Isola (@FisolaNYDN) April 18, 2016

Press accounts of coaching actions are untrue. Nobody has been asked nobody said no.

— Phil Jackson (@PhilJackson11) April 18, 2016

Walton, in an interim role, led the defending champion Golden State Warriors to a 39-4 record while head coach Steve Kerr recovered from back surgery.

Per the NY Daily News:

According to sources, Jackson reached out to the Golden State assistant in a phone conversation recently, following through on his pledge to only speak to those in his circle – or is it triangle? – about their interest in coaching the Knicks.

 

It’s unclear if the two sides will talk again. […] Whether or not this is an earnest effort from Jackson to find a replacement for his buddy Kurt Rambis is also unknown, but either way plucking Walton from the best team in the NBA was always viewed as a longshot.

 

Walton has been advised by others from Golden State to avoid the Knicks. His famous father, Bill Walton, is on the record saying Luke shouldn’t relocate. […] “I tell him, ‘Money can’t buy what you have,’” Bill Walton said recently. “Head-coaching jobs, they’re open for a reason. Those reasons don’t exist in Golden State.”

The post Luke Walton Reportedly Not Interested in the Knicks’ Coaching Job appeared first on SLAM.

OFFICIAL: Stephen Curry will not play tonight at Dallas. MRI earlier today revealed bruised left lower leg. Status is day-to-day.

— GSWStats (@gswstats) December 31, 2015

+++++++

According to Golden State Warriors interim head coach Luke Walton, Stephen Curry’s ailing left leg may keep the MVP on the sidelines for the next two games.

Warriors listing Stephen Curry as questionable due to his left lower leg.

— Diamond Leung (@diamond83) December 30, 2015

The defending champs (29-1) have a back-to-back in Dallas and Houston starting Wednesday night.

Curry was held out of practice Tuesday to get treatment on his leg.

Per the Bay Area News Group:

Walton said he believed Curry was suffering from something similar to the calf strain that he sustained in his right leg last week but did not know the specifics. Curry after notching a triple-double in three quarters against the Kings would only say afterward that he was working through “the regular-season grind.”

 

“There’s a chance that he won’t play in one or both,” Walton said. “That’s probably going to be a game-time decision or at least determined on how he’s feeling tomorrow. […] He hasn’t said anything except for he wants to play. Even last night in the game when I saw him in the game limping, and I tried to take him out, he gave the wave-off and said that it was fine.”

 

Draymond Green (sore ankle) and Festus Ezeli (sore right foot) were among those who did not practice, as only eight Warriors chose to do so. Walton said the availability of many of his players was “up in the air.” […] “Guys are a little banged up, and it’s just difficult right now with the other injuries that we have because to rest one or two guys is putting lot more stress on some of the other guys,” Walton said. “If everyone was healthy right now, we’d probably most likely be resting a couple guys on this trip for at least one of the games. With the injuries we have, it’s a little more complicated than that.”

The post Stephen Curry May Sit Out the Next Two Games appeared first on SLAM.

During the Dubs’ 95-87 preseason victory Monday night against the Toronto Raptors, Curry drilled a baseline three but made sure a teammate gave him dap before the ball splashed through the hoop.

The ultimate #StephGonnaSteph moment pic.twitter.com/okwTmPvAW2

— Golden St. Warriors (@warriors) October 6, 2015

Thanks to #DubNation showing up strong tonight in San Jose. Crazy preseason game! Hope I didn’t foul anyone on the way in or out the arena!

— Stephen Curry (@StephenCurry30) October 6, 2015

Luke Walton earned his first coaching victory—which may be the strangest sentence ever written in NBA history—with Steve Kerr currently on leave.

Per the San Fran Chronicle:

Playing in front of a capacity crowd of 18,223 — many of whom lined up outside the arena 90 minutes before the doors to the SAP Center opened — the Warriors put on a show spanning the second and third quarters. […] “That was an amazing turnout for a preseason game,” said shooting guard Klay Thompson, who saw the droves of people outside when the team bus got to the arena. “It gave me the chills. It felt good to be back. It was awesome, man.”

 

During the stretch, the Warriors reeled off a 22-6 run and showcased the ball movement and spacing that makes their offense appear nearly unstoppable. On one sequence, Curry tossed an around-the-waist pass to Thompson in transition. He fired the ball to the left corner, where Draymond Green immediately skipped the ball back to the right wing for a wide-open Curry three-pointer. […] The crowd, which hadn’t seen a Warriors game in San Jose since Golden State defeated Portland 99-96 on Oct. 13, 2000, went bonkers. The Warriors played their entire home schedule in San Jose during 1996-97 while the Oakland Coliseum Arena underwent renovations.

 

Walton said he was going to pull the starters a couple of minutes after Curry fouled out at the 6:25 mark of the third quarter, having scored 14 points in 19 minutes. The point guard last fouled out in the 2014-15 exhibition opener, getting whistled for six fouls in 18 minutes. […] “It was disappointing, because no one wants to see than man on the bench. He’s such a showman. He’ll learn from it. He’s the best in the game,” Klay Thompson on Curry fouling out with 6:25 remaining in the third quarter.

The post WATCH: Stephen Curry Asks for Hi-Five With Three-Pointer Still in the Air appeared first on SLAM.

Kerr, 50, went under the knife in late July to repair a ruptured disc then had a follow-up surgery in early September.

The Dubs haven’t provided a timetable for the head coach’s return to the sidelines.

From the press release:

“At this point, the most important thing is to make sure Steve is healthy, completely recovered and ready for not only the rigors of a long NBA season, but day-to-day life in general,” said Warriors General Manager Bob Myers. “We don’t anticipate the recovery process will be long term, but as of today we don’t know the exact timeframe. We’ll evaluate his progress daily and provide updates as necessary.”

 

“After the first two days of training camp, I realized I need to take a step back and focus on my rehabilitation in order to be ready for the grind of another NBA season,” said Kerr. “As I noted last week, my summer was difficult and no fun due to the multiple back surgeries. At this point, I simply want to get healthy and back to my normal daily routine on and off the court.”

 

Luke Walton, the team’s lead assistant coach, will serve as interim head coach in Kerr’s absence.

The post Steve Kerr Takes Leave of Absence from the Warriors appeared first on SLAM.

The latest in the interminable Dwightmare is that this fiasco might be getting close to actually coming to an end. ESPN reports: “Sources said that the Nets and Magic are cautiously optimistic that the Cavaliers and Clippers will help them facilitate a four-way trade that lands [Dwight] Howard in Brooklyn. According to sources the Nets would receive Howard, Jason Richardson, Chris Duhon and Earl Clark in the proposed deal. The Magic would get Brook Lopez, Luke Walton, Damion James, Shelden Williams, Armon Johnson and three first-round picks — two from the Nets and a lottery protected first from the Clippers. The Cavs would get Kris Humphries, Quentin Richardson, Sundiata Gaines, a first round pick from the Nets and three million in cash. The Clippers would receive MarShon Brooks. Further hurdles exist in that Lopez, Humphries, James, Williams, Johnson and Gaines would all have to agree to sign-and-trades to move them. Sources said that the complicated deal was getting ‘close.’ As part of their due diligence the Nets and Magic have exchanged medical information on Howard, who had back surgery, and Brook Lopez, who had foot surgery, sources said. Humphries agent, Dan Fegan, is still trying to convince Humphries to settle for a deal that will be guaranteed for just one year. Fegan also represents Howard. A couple of weeks ago, just before Orlando hired Rob Hennigan as its new general manager, Brooklyn offered a similar three-team trade proposal to the Cavs, sources said, only to be turned down by the Magic.”

The post Clippers Reportedly Facilitating Proposed 4-Team Trade for Dwight Howard appeared first on SLAM.

More and more, it’s starting to feel as though it’s only a matter of time until Dwight Howard takes up residence in Brooklyn. The superstar center and a slew of other players (up to 10 so far) are set to change addresses, should the deal finally — mercifully — go through. Per Yahoo! Sports: “The tentacles of the proposed deal stretched across more than 10 players and three teams on Monday morning, with the Nets recruiting a fourth team to take on guard MarShon Brooks in exchange for an additional draft pick to send to Orlando. In the proposed deal, Howard, Jason Richardson and Earl Clark would be sent to Brooklyn, and the Magic would receive the Nets’ Brook Lopez, Damion James, Sheldon Williams, Cleveland’s Luke Walton and three future first-round picks, sources said. Cleveland would receive Orlando’s Quentin Richardson, Brooklyn’s Sundiata Gaines, Kris Humphries (on a one-year guaranteed deal), a first-round pick and $3 million from the Nets. Brooklyn also would send Brooks to a fourth team to get them an additional first-round pick to send to the Magic. Talks between the Magic and Nets remain fluid with some of the deal’s parts moving in and out based on different scenarios. One proposed hangup to a trade: Humphries would be against taking a one-year contract with the Cavs, instead seeking a four-year deal, a league source said. Despite Orlando’s desire to make Lakers center Andrew Bynum the centerpiece of a trade package, a significant stumbling block remains in Bynum’s reluctance to commit to a long-term contract if he’s raded to the Magic, sources said. Orlando doesn’t want to face the possibility of trading for Bynum only to lose him to free agency after the upcoming season. The appeal of the Lakers’ potential package for Bynum has also been diminished with Los Angeles sending its 2013 and 2015 first-round draft picks to the Phoenix Suns in the Steve Nash sign-and-trade deal. The NBA doesn’t allow teams to trade first-round picks in consecutive years, so the Lakers can’t offer Orlando their 2014 and 2016 first-round picks. The Magic are portraying patience in making a deal for Howard, but have a strong distaste for engaging in a prolonged process that drags into the summer. From new general manager Rob Hennigan through Orlando ownership, the Magic want to find the best possible deal for Howard soon and cut ties with him, sources said.”

The post Proposed Dwight Howard Trade Reportedly Involves 10 Players, 3 Teams appeared first on SLAM.

Brian Windhorst reports that the Lakers have agreed to a trade Luke Walton, Jason Kapono and a 2012 first-round pick for Ramon Sessions and Christian Eyenga. The Lakers certainly need the backcourt help, but is Sessions enough for L.A. to return to its Championship-winning ways? Weigh-in at SLAM’s trade deadline live chat: “Cavs send Ramon Sessions & Christian Eyenga for Luke Walton & 2012 Lakers first rounder. LAL gets right to swap ’13 1st rounder w/Heat pick.”

The post Cavs Trade Ramon Sessions to Lakers appeared first on SLAM.

It may have just been a meaningless preseason game last night, but DeAndre Jordan took to the skies in terrifying fashion, serving notice to the Lakers that they should stop trying to foolishly jump with him and his wildly athletic Clipper teammates.

The post Videos: DeAndre Jordan Dunks All Over the Lakers appeared first on SLAM.

Luke Walton’s new assistant coach gig at Memphis isn’t just some lockout stunt. The Lakers’ forward knows that his playing days are numbered, and coaching may be something he seriously pursues once his NBA career ends. From the OC Register: “Even though he’s just 31 – the same age as Pau Gasol – Walton is being proactive in pursuing his post-playing life. Walton will start a new full-time job Saturday as an assistant coach at the University of Memphis for as long as the NBA lockout lasts. ‘Unfortunately, for every player there comes the end of his career,’ Walton said, ‘and it’s just something I’ve been thinking about.’ Josh Pastner, Walton’s former teammate at the University of Arizona and the hotshot head coach at Memphis co-authoring the new chapter in Walton’s life, puts it more definitively. ‘He does want to coach when he’s done playing,’ Pastner said of Walton. Even though Walton has always cringed at comparisons to his oft-injured father Bill and good-naturedly blamed me one time for reporting Phil Jackson’s description of him as a ‘toilet-tissue player,’ there is no doubt now that Walton’s body has undermined his playing career. He has had a variety of injuries throughout and now is dealing with a back so bad that it was a major victory for him just to be available at the end of last season – even though he didn’t play a minute in the Lakers’ postseason until four minutes of truly malodorous garbage time in that fourth and final game in Dallas.”

The post Luke Walton Already Planning His Retirement appeared first on SLAM.

The post Luke Walton Joins University of Memphis as an Assistant Coach appeared first on SLAM.

Kobe Bryant and other teammates chipped in some of their postseason earnings to help out Laker team staff members who weren’t retained due to the lockout. From the LA Times: “Kobe Bryant insisted on giving some of the team’s playoff bonus to two members of the Lakers’ video department whose contracts were not renewed after the season. Chris Bodaken and Patrick O’Keefe split about $65,000 of the Lakers’ playoff bonus. Bodaken started with the Lakers as a ball boy in 1986 and spent the last 10 seasons as their director of video services. O’Keefe was the Lakers’ video coordinator for six seasons. They both hope to be re-hired by the team when the NBA lockout ends. For now, they are thankful for Bryant’s financial gesture. ‘He always looks out for people who are lower on the totem pole,’ O’Keefe said. Said Bodaken: ‘At the end of the day, he told us he was going to take care of us and he did, and that’s not how most people in the world operate. He not only talks the talk. He walks it.’ The Lakers laid off about 20 employees for cost-cutting reasons before the lockout, which has shown no sign of a resolution since it began July 1. … Lakers reserve forward Luke Walton took an extra step after the season by providing individual financial gifts to members of the training staff.”

The post Lakers Players Donated Playoff Bonuses to Fired Team Staff appeared first on SLAM.

The post Phil Jackson Shows Lakers Clips From ‘True Grit’ appeared first on SLAM.

With revenge on their mind, the Los Angeles Lakers turned the Indiana Pacers into the JV equivalent last night. Whatever magic the Pacers happened to find last month when they beat the Lakers vanished last night when the motivated Lakers did as they pleased for four quarters.

“You know, they had a real issue about it,” Head Coach Phil Jackson said about the possibility of getting swept by the Pacers. “I think the Pacers came back and celebrated in the halls at Staples and these guys came back tonight and said, ‘Let’s get after them.’”

So you’re on the varsity team and the coach says that, toward the end of practice, you’re going to scrimmage the JV team. At first your team shows reluctance — “Why do we have to scrimmage them” — but as the practice wears on it’s finally time to show the boys who the men are. Business is taken care of and the JV team learns a lesson: Everybody on the team still has room to grow and the team still has to grow together, even through the shellackings.

Both sides of this analogy were on full display as the Lakers came into Indianapolis to take care of business in the second game of a back-to-back. The Lakers starters jumped out to an early advantage by moving the ball brilliantly in the first quarter. They finished with 10 assists and 2 turnovers while shooting 14-19 (73.7 percent) from the field and jumping out to a 24-8 lead in the first 6 minutes before the Pacers could even blink an eye. They preserved a 36-22 lead after one.

The epitome of the Lakers’ outstanding passing came when Kobe (just 1-2 with 3 assists in the first quarter) slithered by Brandon Rush on the right side of the paint, which had an opening, but threw a behind-the-back pass to Pau Gasol (28 points, 8 rebounds), who swung it to Lamar Odom (13 points, 17 rebounds) for an easy conversion on the left side.

In the second quarter, the Lakers just kept pouring it on as the starters took turns resting. When the starters come out and do their job in this type of scrimmage, then on a mature team that constantly improves, the reserves come in and they take care of business in much the same way the starters did; with purpose. And in the second quarter that’s exactly what the Lakers did. Steve Blake played the point for all 12 minutes in the period while Shannon Brown, Luke Walton, Andrew Bynum and Matt Barnes all contributed solid minutes. Kobe finished the half with just 5 points on 2-4 shooting from the field, yet the Lakers were up by a commanding 22 points, 59-37.

On the other side of this rout, the Pacers had almost no answers. They fought hard for loose balls at both ends and showed effort, but couldn’t come up with much to show for it. The first quarter display that Los Angeles had shown continued into the second quarter, third quarter and fourth quarter. When Kobe finally decided to get started on the offensive end in the third quarter (8-13 for 18 points) all Indiana could do was play through the Lakers blitz with effort and attempt to whether the storm.

Like that JV team, they just couldn’t come close to cracking the Lakers’ code. From the 7:52 mark in the second quarter until the end of the game the Pacers cut the lead under 20 points for a total of just 9:33 and the closest they came at any point after the first quarter was the final score of 109-94. Getting the lead to single digits last evening wasn’t even close to a reality.

“They were clearly a superior group to our players tonight,” O’Brien said. “They jumped on us and never really gave us a chance to get back in the game. They were obviously going to bring it, and we didn’t match their intensity in the first half.”

When the Lakers took their time and swung the ball they got the shots that they wanted on the offensive end. Defensively the Lakers didn’t do anything differently than they normally do; the Pacers simply helped them out by rushing shots as they tried to climb back to relevancy in this contest.

The promising aspect of this game for the Pacers is that although this game got out of control quickly, and could have been much uglier, they fought through it and didn’t give up even though the Lakers continually kept taking their small rays of hope away.

The Pacers seem to have taken a few steps back from when they beat L.A. just three weeks ago, however. An aspiring playoff team (currently in the seventh position with an 11-13 record) the Pacers biggest concern is their lack of consistency from night to night. Since the big W out west their record is just 3-6.

The post Game Notes: Lakers at Pacers appeared first on SLAM.

The post Luke Walton Could Miss ’10-11 Season appeared first on SLAM.

The post Luke Walton on Phil Jackson: ‘He’s Coming Back’ appeared first on SLAM.