News 'n Views - May 2016: The Lakers' adjusted culture could pay dividends going forward
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Oliver Reed
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PostPosted: Sat May 07, 2016 10:09 pm    Post subject:

Runway8 wrote:
Top 3 pick plus Russell for anybody is crazy. Maybe the only guy I'll consider is Anthony Davis. We are now at the stage where not even Lebron is worth the top 3 and Russell due to his age. Time flies...


Anthony Davis a great, but so many people have overrated him to exhaustion.

You do not trade your top pick and future all stars who have the potential to score 20 and dish 10 assist a game.
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PostPosted: Sun May 08, 2016 3:30 pm    Post subject:

I would give anything to pair Anthony Davis with Russell. Trade the entire team for him lol. Davis's biggest issue is staying healthy
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PostPosted: Sun May 08, 2016 10:35 pm    Post subject:

Lakers Free Agency Rumors Are Out of Control
by Hannah Kulik - lakersnation.com

The NBA playoffs are in full swing but with no horse in the race, Los Angeles Lakers’ fans have naturally turned their attention to what the team can do to improve the roster this summer. It has become something of an annual ritual at this time of year for there to be wild speculation about who the Lakers will sign. This spring has been no exception.

If we believe the recent rumors, virtually every top player in the league is angling to join the Lakers next season. It is enough to drive even the most level-headed fan insane! Recent unsubstantiated reports would suggest that the team’s starting line-up in the fall could include LeBron James and Kevin Durant at forward, DeMarcus Cousins at center, and Jimmy Butler and DeMar DeRozan in the backcourt.

Of course, most of these names have been linked with the Lakers before, and it didn’t happen. For example, last summer there were reports that restricted free agents Jimmy Butler and Kawhi Leonard were itching to go west. When July rolled around, however, they quickly signed max deals with their current teams frustrating Lakers’ followers and making the rumors seem like a cruel joke.

The Lakers will swing for the fences again, which they tried the last two summers without a shred of success. Whether they will be luckier this offseason remains to be seen, but at this point, there is some room for optimism. For one thing, Kobe Bryant and Byron Scott are gone.

While everyone admired and respected Bryant, no top free agent wanted to play with him at the end of his career after three injury-filled seasons. Nor did they want to endure, and be overshadowed by, the farewell tour that was so over-the- top as to render the actual games a mere afterthought.

Likewise, no top free agent could reasonably want to play for Scott. He was a talented player as a young man and had some initial success as a coach with the New Jersey Nets. Many years later, however, after unsuccessful stops in New Orleans and Cleveland, and leading the Lakers to their two worst seasons in franchise history, he did not resonate with the NBA culture today. Even if he knew what he was doing, which many have questioned, he was singularly unsuccessful getting any of the Lakers’ players to buy into his system the past two years.

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PostPosted: Sun May 08, 2016 10:36 pm    Post subject:

Why the Lakers should target Harrison Barnes and Festus Ezeli
by silverscreenandroll.com

Why two Warriors should be priority targets for Los Angeles in free agency this summer

For a team in the midst of a rebuild, every summer provides an opportunity to gain momentum. It’s a chance to supplement the team with new draft picks and test if a young core has emerged as an attractive partner for potential free agents. If everything goes to plan, an offseason can serve to dramatically accelerate a team’s trajectory.

For the Lakers, this summer has the feeling of a critical inflection point that may define the team for years to come. The team has already seen its fair share of changes – the Black Mamba has finally retired, Byron Scott has been mercifully let go, and Luke Walton looks poised to usher the purple and gold into the modern era of the NBA. Adding to the chaos, the Lakers potentially have a top three pick in the draft and Jim Buss’s self-imposed deadline for title contention expires in 2017. With all that in mind, how should the Lakers approach free agency?

Although there are certainly splashier names out there, I would argue that the Lakers should put their effort into signing Harrison Barnes and Festus Ezeli from the Golden State Warriors this summer. Don’t get me wrong – if Durant wanted to take the Buss family’s money with a max contract, I’d be all ears, but I don’t believe he’s coming through that door. With the cap jumping and half of the NBA able to offer a max contract, even some coveted free agents like Batum may not be realistic targets for the Lakers.

Instead of swinging for the fences with a proven All-NBA performer, the Lakers may be better served with younger players that fit their rebuilding timeline. By targeting potential breakout players with a larger role, the Lakers could build for the future and set themselves up for a LaMarcus Aldridge-type signing down the road. Ezeli and Barnes both have championship experience and have exhibited the kind of talent that indicates they could explode with more minutes.

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PostPosted: Sun May 08, 2016 10:36 pm    Post subject:

Festus Ezeli Is A Perfect Free Agent Target
by Quentin Haynes - hoopshabit.com

With a need at the center position, could Festus Ezeli be the one to help the Los Angeles Lakers fix their defense?

Last week, Magic Johnson and his tweets about who the Los Angeles Lakers should target became a source for comedy. It started with Raptors guard DeMar DeRozan, then turning into a joke, as Magic suggested going after Kevin Durant and LeBron James “just in case” the King decides to leave Cleveland again.

His tweets, always hilarious, turned into what other (unattainable) free agents the Lakers should target. DeRozan has since struggled in the playoffs, shooting a ghastly 33 percent. Kevin Durant the Oklahoma City Thunder seem poised for a second round exit while LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers seem destined for a second consecutive Finals appearance.

But later in the week, Sporting News’ Sean Deveney revealed a more realistic name for the Lakers to target: Golden State Warriors backup center Festus Ezeli. Here’s the quote:

“The Lakers, a source said, will have interest in Ezeli, seeing his size and rim-protecting defense as an ideal complement to forward Julius Randle. L.A., of course, just hired Warriors assistant Luke Walton to be its coach. Ezeli had the best months of his career in November and December, with Walton filling in while Kerr recovered from back surgery, and before Ezeli’s knee injury.”

I believe this is an excellent free agent for the Lakers to target.

Lost in Los Angeles’ terrible season was just how awful they were on defense. Last season, the Lakers were last in the league in defense, finishing with 113.7 defensive rating, per Nylon Calculus. Part of that is due to inexperience, with guys like D’Angelo Russell and Julius Randle seeing their first extended minutes on an NBA floor, but the surrounding players (Jordan Clarkson, Lou Williams) were just as bad on the defensive end.

Part of those defensive failures could be Los Angeles’ inability to stop its opponent once they got near the rim. Per NBA.com’s opponent shooting stats, the Lakers ranked last in the league, allowing opponents to shoot a staggering 63 percent within five feet of the basket.

The thought was that the once sturdy paint presence of Roy Hibbert would quell that issue, but as the dimensions of the game changed, Hibbert became an ineffective oak tree at the rim with no chance of stopping teams with big men who can shoot and drive to the rim.

Ezeli, however, could fix both of those issues.

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PostPosted: Sun May 08, 2016 10:36 pm    Post subject:

Outsiders Roundtable: Draft pick and free agent choices, the Luke Walton effect and more
by Gary Kester - lakersoutsiders.com

There is plenty to talk about with the Los Angeles Lakers. Things are really starting to look up, as the team added the top head coaching candidate on the market, and the NBA Draft Lottery is drawing near. If the Lakers keep the pick, what should they do with it? How should they spend their money in free agency this summer? Three of our writers answer some of the big questions surrounding the Lakers.

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PostPosted: Sun May 08, 2016 10:36 pm    Post subject:

Julius Randle compares himself to Draymond Green
by Harrison Faigen - silverscreenandroll.com

The third-year forward knows he has a long way to go, but it's a comparison that should make fans salivate

After breaking his leg mere minutes into his rookie season, fans of the Los Angeles Lakers were forced to temper their expectations for Julius Randle, but the sophomore was solid in his first full season in the pros. Randle averaged a double-double of 11.3 points and 10.3 rebounds over the course of the 2015-16 season, with his rebounding ability (grabbed a team-leading 32.7 percent of opposing misses while on the floor) standing out most.

Randle's debut wasn't all positives, however. He shot just 42.9 percent from the field and often struggled defensively over his first 81 games, but to his credit, it sounds like Randle knows he has to improve. While he doesn't sound like he'll be making that improvement in Las Vegas Summer League, Randle told Jovan Buha of ESPN.com that he is hopeful that his time working with Luke Walton can help him emulate the success of another power forward who progressed on Walton's watch:

Heading into the summer, a common comparison for Randle has been Warriors All-Star forward/center Draymond Green, as both have similar frames and skill sets, including ballhandling and passing abilities typical of much smaller players.

Green has publicly stated how important Walton was for his development, and Randle believes he will have the same experiences playing in a similar role to Green in the Lakers' new schemes.

"Obviously there are a lot of similarities between Draymond and myself," Randle said. "There will be a lot to learn, but especially with the style of play, it'll be fun for us to get up and down. Sharing the ball is going to be big for us this year. Just building that chemistry on both sides of the floor."


It's here we have to note that player comparisons are mostly pointless, no two players are exactly alike and comparisons between two of them are generally painting in extremely broad strokes. With all that said, Randle and Green do boast some of the same strengths mentioned by Buha. Green is much better at them as of right now, but it doesn't mean Randle cannot improve, especially if Walton really was as critical for the Michigan State product's development into one of the top players in the NBA as Green says he was.

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PostPosted: Sun May 08, 2016 10:37 pm    Post subject:

Julius Randle ‘Not Sure’ If He’ll Play In NBA Summer League
by Ryan Ward - lakersnation.com

Last year, the Los Angeles Lakers were thought to have one most talented young teams heading into the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas. Julius Randle was healthy and ready to get back on the floor alongside Jordan Clarkson and new teammates D’Angelo Russell, Larry Nance Jr., and Anthony Brown.

Unfortunately, the Lakers failed to live up to expectations. Los Angeles won only one game during their short stint in Las Vegas leaving a lot of questions about how this team would fair during the 2015-16 NBA regular season.

This summer, Los Angeles may have a talented young roster once again in the Summer League play. Russell is determined to play a second straight year and may be accompanied by Clarkson, Nance and one of the top rookies in this year’s class in Ben Simmons or Brandon Ingram. Randle, however, may not be joining his teammates in Las Vegas, via Mark Medina of the L.A. Daily News:

“I’m not sure. I feel like I probably wouldn’t play,” Randle said. “I want to get better and work on my game. Especially with Luke coming in, it’s important to get that chemistry going as a team and establishing how we wanted to play. Whenever that time comes, we’ll cross that bridge.”

If Randle decides to play, it will be the third year in a row for the Kentucky product. Clarkson, who’s status for Summer League is also uncertain, would be playing in his third consecutive year as well.

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PostPosted: Mon May 09, 2016 8:46 am    Post subject:

lakersfreak wrote:
Julius Randle ‘Not Sure’ If He’ll Play In NBA Summer League
by Ryan Ward - lakersnation.com

Last year, the Los Angeles Lakers were thought to have one most talented young teams heading into the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas. Julius Randle was healthy and ready to get back on the floor alongside Jordan Clarkson and new teammates D’Angelo Russell, Larry Nance Jr., and Anthony Brown.

Unfortunately, the Lakers failed to live up to expectations. Los Angeles won only one game during their short stint in Las Vegas leaving a lot of questions about how this team would fair during the 2015-16 NBA regular season.

This summer, Los Angeles may have a talented young roster once again in the Summer League play. Russell is determined to play a second straight year and may be accompanied by Clarkson, Nance and one of the top rookies in this year’s class in Ben Simmons or Brandon Ingram. Randle, however, may not be joining his teammates in Las Vegas, via Mark Medina of the L.A. Daily News:

“I’m not sure. I feel like I probably wouldn’t play,” Randle said. “I want to get better and work on my game. Especially with Luke coming in, it’s important to get that chemistry going as a team and establishing how we wanted to play. Whenever that time comes, we’ll cross that bridge.”

If Randle decides to play, it will be the third year in a row for the Kentucky product. Clarkson, who’s status for Summer League is also uncertain, would be playing in his third consecutive year as well.

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If he works and improves his stroke from outside and gains confidence to drive and finish with his left, that alone is better than the scrub league.

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PostPosted: Mon May 09, 2016 9:20 am    Post subject:

gumby wrote:
lakersfreak wrote:
Julius Randle ‘Not Sure’ If He’ll Play In NBA Summer League
by Ryan Ward - lakersnation.com

Last year, the Los Angeles Lakers were thought to have one most talented young teams heading into the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas. Julius Randle was healthy and ready to get back on the floor alongside Jordan Clarkson and new teammates D’Angelo Russell, Larry Nance Jr., and Anthony Brown.

Unfortunately, the Lakers failed to live up to expectations. Los Angeles won only one game during their short stint in Las Vegas leaving a lot of questions about how this team would fair during the 2015-16 NBA regular season.

This summer, Los Angeles may have a talented young roster once again in the Summer League play. Russell is determined to play a second straight year and may be accompanied by Clarkson, Nance and one of the top rookies in this year’s class in Ben Simmons or Brandon Ingram. Randle, however, may not be joining his teammates in Las Vegas, via Mark Medina of the L.A. Daily News:

“I’m not sure. I feel like I probably wouldn’t play,” Randle said. “I want to get better and work on my game. Especially with Luke coming in, it’s important to get that chemistry going as a team and establishing how we wanted to play. Whenever that time comes, we’ll cross that bridge.”

If Randle decides to play, it will be the third year in a row for the Kentucky product. Clarkson, who’s status for Summer League is also uncertain, would be playing in his third consecutive year as well.

Continued....
If he works and improves his stroke from outside and gains confidence to drive and finish with his left, that alone is better than the scrub league.

Bye.
The next stage is to be able to hit outside jumpers at game speed and in game situations

Playing in the Summer Games will give him a chance to learn the system that Luke will be using with players that he will be with on the court

Understand that the just-mentioned reasons might not be his highest priorities
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PostPosted: Mon May 09, 2016 10:26 pm    Post subject:

2016 NBA Draft Lottery FAQ
by Gary Kester - lakersoutsiders.com

The 2016 NBA Draft Lottery will be a big day once again for the Los Angeles Lakers after another tough season that saw them finish 17-65. With that day rapidly approaching, there are many that still have questions regarding not only the lottery itself and how it works, but also the Lakers’ situation as well.

Although the circumstances are very similar to a year ago, there are still noticeable differences. Here are a list of frequently asked questions pertaining to the Lakers’ NBA Draft Lottery situation and the answers to them. If you have a question that is not on this list, please contact us on Twitter (@LakersOutsiders), through our Facebook page or simply leave a comment below and we will be sure to add it.

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PostPosted: Mon May 09, 2016 10:27 pm    Post subject:

Jordan Clarkson and Larry Nance, Jr. are already working out for next season
by Harrison Faigen - silverscreenandroll.com

Two members of the young core are back in the gym

The Los Angeles Lakers are already getting prospects into their gym for pre-draft workouts, but some of their players are following suit on their own as well. Jordan Clarkson may be headed to restricted free agency, but he still didn't wait long to head back to the Lakers' facility to get his offseason workouts started, something he's posted about several times on his Snapchat account.

Clarkson has already indicated that the hiring of new head coach Luke Walton has him excited to return to the Lakers in free agency this offseason. As a restricted free agent the team will be able to match any offer Clarkson receives, making it highly likely he'll be back in Los Angeles next year.

One player the team isn't in danger of losing is their second-year power forward Larry Nance, Jr. The bouncy power forward has followed Clarkson's lead, and says he's already begun working out for next year:

Good day in the gym today! Efficiency is

— Larry Nance Jr (@Larrydn22) May 9, 2016


Nance, Jr. was already fairly efficient last season, with his 52.8 effective field goal percentage ranking as third highest on the team, but he's not wrong that it will be a key to his success going forward. Playing in Walton's Warriors'-like up-tempo system will likely help Nance, Jr. in this area, but one way he could get better would be by expanding his range.

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PostPosted: Mon May 09, 2016 10:30 pm    Post subject:

Anthony Brown starts offseason workouts
by Harrison Faigen - silverscreenandroll.com

More of the team's young players are headed back to the gym

Los Angeles Lakers' rookie Anthony Brown's debut season was a mixed bag. After the team selected him with the 34th overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft, most projected the Southern California native as having prototypical "three-and-D" wing player potential. With those players becoming more valuable and expensive with each passing year, if Brown panned out it would be a heck of a return on a second round pick.

Brown fulfilled the "D" half of that equation, but excelled less at the "three" part. The rookie has already flashed potential to be an elite defender in his 29 games, with the team's defense looking far better every time Brown replaced Kobe Bryant in the starting lineup.

The Lakers were over seven points better on defense with Brown in the lineup than in the minutes he sat, according to NBA.com, but were only marginally worse on offense in his minutes on the bench, despite the fact that he was often replacing one of the least efficient players in the NBA.

One reason for that was Brown's excellent college three-point shooting from college (40.3 percent over five seasons at Stanford) did not translate to the pros, where he shot just 28.6 percent from behind the arc. To his credit, Brown is not resting on his laurels and is already back in the gym working to improve.

Day 1 shiii @M12terAnderson pic.twitter.com/rxntXA0iRV

— Anthony Brown (@TwoShotOne) May 10, 2016


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PostPosted: Mon May 09, 2016 10:32 pm    Post subject:

Brian Shaw does not plan to interview for Knicks head coaching job
by Harrison Faigen - silverscreenandroll.com

It could make his hiring in Los Angeles more likely

The Los Angeles Lakers have yet to announce any members of Luke Walton's assistant coaching staff, but there have been several candidates rumored for positions. There have been indications that Walton will bring Golden State Warriors player development coach Chris DeMarco with him to Los Angeles, while other reports suggest the team could bring in former Houston Rockets interim head coach JB Bickerstaff.

Another name Walton and the Lakers are rumored to be interested in is former Denver Nuggets head coach Brian Shaw, who was a Lakers assistant coach under Phil Jackson when Walton played for the team. Jackson is now president of the New York Knicks, and is himself searching for a head coach. However, it doesn't sound like Shaw thinks he has a chance at that job based on his recent interview with Hannah Storm of ESPN (as transcribed by ESPN New York's Ian Begley), which could make him more likely to take a position on Walton's coaching staff:

"Kurt Rambis is there," Shaw said on SportsCenter in explaining why he doesn't anticipate to be interviewed. "He's very adept at running the triangle, and if Phil Jackson wanted a coach that's going to run that system for him, he has a guy that's there that he has confidence in. So I don't see him bringing in somebody else who has the knowledge of that system when he already has somebody there."

Walton has already stated that he will look to run a system more similar to the Warriors rather than the triangle, but Shaw could still be a good addition to the staff. His tenure in Denver went poorly, but Shaw was considered a standout assistant in both Los Angeles and Indiana, and would bring a ton of coaching experience for an inexperienced head coach to lean on.

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PostPosted: Mon May 09, 2016 10:33 pm    Post subject:

Mamadou N'Diaye to work out for Lakers
by Harrison Faigen - silverscreenandroll.com

The gigantic junior will get a look from his local NBA team

Most of the focus surrounding the Los Angeles Lakers' pre-draft process has centered on whether or not the team will retain it's first round pick in the lottery. The team's 2016 first round pick is top-three protected and the Lakers have a 55.8 percent chance to keep it, but if it lands at fourth overall or lower, it will be conveyed to the Philadelphia 76ers as the last remaining piece of the ill-fated Steve Nash trade.

Regardless of the fate of their first rounder, the Lakers will also have a second round selection, the 32nd overall pick in the draft as well as the ability to sign undrafted rookie free agents. The front office is reportedly poised to take a look at a prospect for the latter option at some point, with UCI's 7'5 center prospect Mamadou N'Diaye scheduled to come in for a workout for the team at some point in the near future, according to Jeff Goodman of ESPN.

N'Diaye certainly has a prodigious size advantage over nearly anyone in the NBA, much less his fellow draft prospects, but he doesn't boast much else right now. The UCI junior is unlikely to be selected in the draft after averaging 12.1 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 2.4 blocks per game in college, mostly due to concerns over whether or not he will be quick enough to keep up with the quicker pace of the current NBA

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Video: 7'6 NBA Prospect Mamadou Ndiaye Mix
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PostPosted: Wed May 11, 2016 6:53 am    Post subject:

J.B. Bickerstaff, Brian Shaw reportedly could join coaching staff
by Keith Rivas - lasportshub.com

If the latest Lakers rumors hold true, Los Angeles could be in even more good coaching company sooner than later.

With Luke Walton preparing to try and make a name for himself outside of being a player as the next Lakers head coach, rumor has it that there are two candidates being talked about at the moment — former Denver Nuggets coach Brian Shaw and former Houston Rockets interim coach J.B. Bickerstaff.

Bleacher Report indicates that there is strong interest from Walton in pursuing Shaw, while Lakers Nation reports that Bickerstaff is a potential candidate for an assistant position with the Lakers after denying commitment to Houston for another season or the foreseeable future.

Mix that with the team’s reported interest in acquiring guys like Paul George and DeMar DeRozan, among other names, and things just got a lot more interesting in Los Angeles.

The reason none of these rumors can be put to rest just yet is because Walton is still busy working for the Warriors as they try to move past the Portland Trail Blazers and on to the Western Conference Finals.

In the mean time, let’s take a closer look at the Lakers’ two potential assistant coaching candidates.

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PostPosted: Wed May 11, 2016 6:54 am    Post subject:

NBA Mock Draft 2016: Pre-Combine Edition
by Cody Williams - lakeshowlife.com

A pre-combine 2016 NBA Mock Draft to see how things shake out for the Lakers

The 2016 NBA Draft is just over a month away and the excitement is already real. However, every fan of the Los Angeles Lakers is waiting with bated breath for May 17 and the 2016 NBA Draft Lottery as that will ultimately decide whether or not the Lakers have anything invested in the draft.

As we’ve discussed numerous times before, the Lakers will keep their first-round draft pick if it falls in the top-3, but will lose the pick to the Philadelphia 76ers if it falls to No. 4 or lower.

Even with that uncertainty, though, there has been a lot of buzz about the Lakers pick as of late. First, there were rumors that the Lakers would be inclined to trade the No. 1 overall pick if they got it. However, Mitch Kupchak shot that down (seemingly) when speaking to the media at a press conference by saying that he had no idea where those rumors came from.

Regardless of any trades with the pick and even the potential poor outcome of the lottery, though, it’s never too soon to again look at a 2016 NBA Mock Draft to see what the Lakers and the rest of the NBA plan to do if they keep their picks and keep rolling.

Again assuming that the NBA Draft Lottery doesn’t change the finishing order of the teams this season, here’s a look at version 2.0 of our 2016 NBA Mock Draft before the NBA Draft Scouting Combine.

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PostPosted: Wed May 11, 2016 6:55 am    Post subject:

Kings not intending to trade DeMarcus Cousins
by Honi Ahmadian - lakersoutsiders.com

As the Los Angeles Lakers’ offseason unfolds, there will be many rumors about the direction the team intends to go. There is wide speculation regarding the Lakers’ plans on the coaching staff, the draft, and free agency. The most rampant speculation, however, often comes from trade rumors.

Among the players often rumored to be a trade target of the Lakers is DeMarcus Cousins. The Sacramento Kings’ center was thought to be gone from the team last summer when George Karl reportedly tried to get him traded. Since then, the team has moved on from Karl and hired Dave Joeger, but that has not necessarily quieted the rumors.

Today, however, Kings GM (and #FormerLaker) Vlade Divac did his best to quell any speculation on Cousins being traded:

Kings GM Vlade Divac was asked about trading DeMarcus Cousins today after the presser. 'He's not going to be traded - this year for sure'
12:15 PM - 10 May 2016


The qualifier makes this more interesting than it should be, but what Divac is saying should not be very surprising. Cousins is one of the best centers in the league and, when he is focused, one of the most dominant players. Additionally, he is still under contract for two more years, meaning he does not necessarily have the leverage to force his way out of Sacramento.

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PostPosted: Wed May 11, 2016 6:56 am    Post subject:

D'Angelo Russell has begun offseason workouts
by Harrison Faigen - silverscreenandroll.com

One more member of Los Angeles' future is back in the gym

As anyone following this blog has heard, the 2015-16 Los Angeles Lakers were the worst team in the history of the franchise, piling up 65 losses on their way to the second worst record in the NBA. It was the third consecutive season the Lakers set a new low in this category.

To their credit, most of the team's young players seem motivated to make sure history doesn't repeat itself for the fourth year in a row. Jordan Clarkson and Larry Nance, Jr. spoke about their initial offseason workouts on social media, and Anthony Brown followed suit with a picture of himself getting back in the gym.

D'Angelo Russell is the latest young Laker to take to the Internet to show off evidence that he's working on his game over his summer vacation. Los Angeles' most recent lottery pick shared a photo of himself taking part in an offseason workouts on Instagram on Tuesday as he prepares for his sophomore season in the league:

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PostPosted: Wed May 11, 2016 6:58 am    Post subject:

Lakers to work out Yogi Ferrell before NBA Draft
by Harrison Faigen - silverscreenandroll.com

The front office takes a look at another fringe prospect

The Los Angeles Lakers only have a 55.8 percent chance to keep their top-three protected lottery pick in the 2016 NBA Draft. As most Lakers fans are well awared, should the pick fall outside of the top three selections, it will be sent to the Philadelphia 76ers, who received it from the Phonix Suns, who originally acquired it by sign-and-trading Steve Nash to the Lakers in 2012.

Due to this complication, Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak has said that the team is preparing for the draft as if they don't have a first round pick. Since those comments, the Lakers have put their money where their mouth is and looked to find contributors outside of the lottery, scheduling a number of pre-draft workouts for players who are on the fringes of even being selected in the second round and will more likely attempt to catch on to teams as undrafted free agents.

The Lakers will reportedly work out 7'5 center Mamadou N'Diaye at some point in the near future, and Jeff Goodman of ESPN also reports the team will bring in Indiana's Yogi Ferrell for a workout next week:

Yogi Ferrell workout sched:LAL (5-16), LAC (18), Suns (20), Utah (22), Chi (23), Atl (25), Mavs (26), Det (31), Wiz (6-2), Nets (8), NY (10)

— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanESPN) May 9, 2016


Ferrell averaged 17.3 points on 45.8 percent shooting with 5.6 assists and 1.1 steals per game during his senior year at Indiana, where he shot 42% on threes in his final season in college. Josh Riddell of Draft Express describes Ferrell thusly:

Continued....
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lakersfreak
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PostPosted: Wed May 11, 2016 6:59 am    Post subject:

Gordon Hayward Talks About Last Game Against Kobe Bryant
by Eric Yee - lakeshowlife.com

Gordon Hayward was one of the players tasked with guarding Kobe Bryant during his last game with the Los Angeles Lakers and even he was in awe of the performance

Kobe Bryant may have played his final game for the Lakers in mid-April but tales from that storied night are still taking the news by storm.

Most recently, Utah Jazz small forward, Gordon Hayward, took to his personal website GordonHayward20.life in order to take a look back at his season overall including a special section at the end dedicated entirely to Kobe Bryant’s last game.

In the candid piece Hayward details how even though the Jazz knew that they weren’t going to make the Playoffs, that they were still trying to win the game. Further, that the game was different than any he had ever played before.

There were probably at least 50 cameras around him. And when the game started, the atmosphere was different from anything I’ve ever experienced. Everyone in the arena was excited whenever he touched the ball. And every time Kobe got it, they wanted him to shoot it, and they were booing us for even trying to defend him.

More over,

We were up double digits for most of the second half, and we led by 10 with about three minutes to go. So when Kobe started hitting shots and the game started to get close, a lot of us were in shock.

It was like being a part of a showcase, or being in a video game. There wasn’t really much normality about it. A guy scored 60 points and took 50 shots. There was something different as far as his aggressiveness. . .


Despite being constantly underrated, Hayward is a formidable defender, so to hear him say things like it was “harder to defend than you might think” and that, “There comes a point where he is in the zone, and there’s almost nothing you can do” because well, “he’s Kobe Bryant” only adds to the legend of Kobe’s epic last game.

Hayward went as far as saying that he’d never want to have to defend something like that again.

Continued....
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PostPosted: Wed May 11, 2016 9:48 am    Post subject:

lakersfreak wrote:
J.B. Bickerstaff, Brian Shaw reportedly could join coaching staff
by Keith Rivas - lasportshub.com

If the latest Lakers rumors hold true, Los Angeles could be in even more good coaching company sooner than later.

With Luke Walton preparing to try and make a name for himself outside of being a player as the next Lakers head coach, rumor has it that there are two candidates being talked about at the moment — former Denver Nuggets coach Brian Shaw and former Houston Rockets interim coach J.B. Bickerstaff.

Bleacher Report indicates that there is strong interest from Walton in pursuing Shaw, while Lakers Nation reports that Bickerstaff is a potential candidate for an assistant position with the Lakers after denying commitment to Houston for another season or the foreseeable future.

Mix that with the team’s reported interest in acquiring guys like Paul George and DeMar DeRozan, among other names, and things just got a lot more interesting in Los Angeles.

The reason none of these rumors can be put to rest just yet is because Walton is still busy working for the Warriors as they try to move past the Portland Trail Blazers and on to the Western Conference Finals.

In the mean time, let’s take a closer look at the Lakers’ two potential assistant coaching candidates.

Continued....


NICE. Walton, Shaw, JB and Madsen. That is a great lineup on the bench.
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PostPosted: Wed May 11, 2016 12:27 pm    Post subject:

Oliver Reed wrote:
Runway8 wrote:
Top 3 pick plus Russell for anybody is crazy. Maybe the only guy I'll consider is Anthony Davis. We are now at the stage where not even Lebron is worth the top 3 and Russell due to his age. Time flies...


Anthony Davis a great, but so many people have overrated him to exhaustion.

You do not trade your top pick and future all stars who have the potential to score 20 and dish 10 assist a game.


Maybe overrating is calling future all stars unaccomplished young players.

I'd trade any combination of assets for Anthony Davis and then bring players like Durant and LeBron with our huge cap space.
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PostPosted: Wed May 11, 2016 12:35 pm    Post subject:

lakersfreak wrote:
J.B. Bickerstaff, Brian Shaw reportedly could join coaching staff
by Keith Rivas - lasportshub.com

If the latest Lakers rumors hold true, Los Angeles could be in even more good coaching company sooner than later.

With Luke Walton preparing to try and make a name for himself outside of being a player as the next Lakers head coach, rumor has it that there are two candidates being talked about at the moment — former Denver Nuggets coach Brian Shaw and former Houston Rockets interim coach J.B. Bickerstaff.

Bleacher Report indicates that there is strong interest from Walton in pursuing Shaw, while Lakers Nation reports that Bickerstaff is a potential candidate for an assistant position with the Lakers after denying commitment to Houston for another season or the foreseeable future.

Mix that with the team’s reported interest in acquiring guys like Paul George and DeMar DeRozan, among other names, and things just got a lot more interesting in Los Angeles.

The reason none of these rumors can be put to rest just yet is because Walton is still busy working for the Warriors as they try to move past the Portland Trail Blazers and on to the Western Conference Finals.

In the mean time, let’s take a closer look at the Lakers’ two potential assistant coaching candidates.

Continued....


"— not to mention the divided fan base when it came to Scott’s approval."

That was crazy.

Divided fan base? Old timers like me would never hate Byron Scott, but no fan wants him coaching our team.
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PostPosted: Thu May 12, 2016 7:46 am    Post subject:

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