LAS VEGAS- At the Las Vegas Summer League, wins and losses are as important as the Sacramento’s 2014 championship banner hanging near the players’ tunnel at the Thomas & Mack Center. Summer League is more about learning, development and progression. For D’Angelo Russell and Julius Randle, the Los Angeles Lakers’ top two young players, Monday’s 76-66 loss to the Knicks was a struggle to say the least. The lower bowl was packed with fans clad in purple and gold, excited to
“Fuhgetaboutit!” That’s what Brooklyn Nets fans were saying on Twitter when the team announced it had agreed to terms with Andrea Bargnani. Nets fans in Little Italy applauded the move. The agreement is reportedly a two-year deal for the veteran’s minimum salary, according to the New York Post. The second year of the deal is a player option. Barring a catastrophically bad season, Bargnani would opt out after this season. Fans of the Toronto Raptors and New York Knicks may laugh at the signing,
So this is how it ends for Kobe Bryant, huh? A top-10 all-time player, Bryant will spend his last four years as the face of arguably the most storied franchise in NBA history, watching it plunge into unprecedented irrelevance. What has happened to the Lakers happens to a lot of successful family-owned businesses. It was handed from the patriarch to the next generation, which was in over its head. It took its brand for granted and treated the competition with disdain rather
LaMarcus Aldridge will kick off a whirlwind week of free agency by meeting with both the Lakers and Rockets on Tuesday night in Los Angeles, according to reports. Free agency begins at 9:01 p.m. Pacific time (12:01 a.m. Eastern), and Aldridge won’t waste much time. After meeting with the Lakers and Rockets on Tuesday, he’ll proceed to visit with the Spurs, Mavs, Suns and Raptors on Wednesday and finally with the Knicks on Thursday, reports Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.com. That list doesn’t even
If Laker fans hope—actually, expect—a fast turnaround, last week’s draft that brought D’Angelo Russell and two more of the top 34 picks was a reminder how tricky the process is going to be. The announcement of Russell’s selection at No. 2 prompted cries of anguish from the half of Lakerdom that wanted Jahlil Okafor. The Los Angeles Times’ Bill Plaschke kept from passing out long enough to tweet, “wow… crazy… wow… unreal… you’ve got to be kidding.” No, they were serious. The Lakers
BROOKLYN — It’s incredible how a building’s mood can change so drastically every five minutes. From the roaring approval for Karl-Anthony Towns and D’Angelo Russell to the acidic, vitriol for the Knicks’ pick of Kristaps Porzingis, nothing satisfies a sports fan’s need for instant gratification like reacting to an NBA draft pick. But there were great moments behind the scenes that you could not see. A proud multi-generational basketball family sharing a special moment in a back room. A fashion statement that added to
With the NBA draft just about to begin, GMs are working the phones frantically to explore all avenues of improving their clubs, including trades and creating cap space. The latest news appears to be the Los Angeles Lakers choosing at 2 between Duke’s Jahlil Okafor and Ohio State’s D’Angelo Russell. As I reported in Mock 6.0.1, my sources revealed that the Lakers front office voted Russell over Okafor when polled by Mitch Kupchak. It sounds doubtful that a deal for DeMarcus Cousins will happen tonight,
“The Truth” is what Doc Rivers might just need to order for him to finally get the Los Angeles Clippers over the hump. Washington Wizards forward Paul Pierce, aka “The Truth”, is expected to opt out of his $5.5 million player option with the team. David Aldridge of NBA.com is reporting the 10-time All-Star is looking to reunite with Rivers in Los Angeles: As I reported as likely to happen a couple of weeks ago, Paul Pierce will opt out of his