Chris Paul 'a full go' for Game 3 vs Lakers

Phoenix’s first potential championship bid in over a decade received a severe blow in Game 1 when Chris Paul went down with a right shoulder contusion that has limited him ever since.

After another 48 hours’ worth of rest and treatment, the 10-time All-Star will give it another go in Game 3 against the Lakers on Thursday (10 ET, TNT).

“He’s gotten better over the last couple of days and he is a full go tonight,” said Suns coach Monty Williams.

Williams added he would “keep a close eye on him.” Paul played in just 22 minutes in Phoenix’s 109-102 Game 2 loss and was clearly limited, shooting 2-for-5 and committing three turnovers to five assists.

The Suns and Lakers entered Thursday tied 1-1 in their best-of-seven first-round series.

NBA fans react to Kevin Love to the Nets trade rumor

The Nets just completed a blockbuster trade to acquire James Harden and assemble a new Big 3 in Brooklyn – and according to a new report, the organization may not be finished in the trade market. According to Jason Dumas, a reporter for KRON 4 News in San Francisco, the Nets are “in discussions” with the Cleveland Cavaliers about a trade for center JaVale McGee – but are also interested in five-time All-Star Kevin Love. Love has missed extended time this season with a calf injury. His contract situation would make a deal with the Nets difficult, if not impossible. Love is in year two of a four-year, $120 million deal with the Cavs, and is set to earn $31 million in each of the next two seasons. With no draft capital left following the Harden trade, the Nets would likely have to offer their top role players in this hypothetical trade scenario, leaving them tremendously top-heavy and even weaker on the defensive end. Could the Nets seriously be considering a deal for Love? NBA fans sounded off on a potential Love trade on Twitter. Basketball stat collect from isports API, for more details please visit www.isportsapi.com .

Rumor: Nets cooled on Harden trade in part because of Mike D’Antoni

James Harden has added teams to the mix, but his original trade demand was to go to Brooklyn. Those talks have gone nowhere, at least in part because Houston wanted more than a trade package built around Caris LeVert and Jarrett Allen (and maybe Spencer Dinwiddie). The other side of that coin — or the Nets’ spin on the talks — is they have cooled on the Harden trade idea due to Harden’s former coach Mike D’Antoni weighing in. That and seeing the potential to contend with what they have in house. At least that is what The Ringer’s founder said on his flagship podcast, the Bill Simmons Podcast (hat tip to Clutch Points). “I heard that Brooklyn cooled of on Harden and one reason was D’Antoni, they were like ‘were good, lets keep what we have here, Harden presents some problems,’” Simmons said. We don’t know Simmons’ source, so take this with a grain of salt. This could be Brooklyn leaking something to save face: “They don’t want our guy? Well, we didn’t want him anyway.” There also could be some truth to all of it: Houston may not love LeVert, and the Nets may want to wait to see what they have. While Brooklyn is off to a 3-3 start, it has looked like an unstoppable contender at points this young season. While the Nets have some defensive questions to answer (and Harden doesn’t really help with that), they look like a team that can challenge Milwaukee and anyone else at the top of the East come the playoffs. Trading for Harden radically changes the team dynamic; the Nets may want to see how the team they have looks over a stretch of ground before deciding on Harden either way. Harden’s trade demand remains in a holding pattern — he’s playing well for the Rockets, but Houston is still demanding a huge trade package for the former MVP and no other team is stepping up to meet that. The Rockets plan to wait the market out, and that will take a little time. Basketball stat collect from isports API, for more details please visit www.isportsapi.com .

Stephen Curry vents amid Warriors season that already looks lost: 'We need to win — immediately'

This isn’t how this season was supposed to go. On the heels of a campaign lost to injury and exodus, 2020-21 was supposed to mark a return to relevance for the Golden State Warriors. Another championship contender in the Bay, old-school Splash Brothers style. But like so much else in 2020, those plans went up in smoke, thanks largely to the offseason Achilles tear suffered by Klay Thompson. It’s a devastating setback that will cost him a second straight season after losing 2019-20 to a torn ACL. Warriors blown out again Two games into the season against a pair of the East’s top teams and the Warriors look a lot closer to the lottery than they do a return to championship form. Golden State followed up Thursday’s blowout loss to the Brooklyn Nets with a Christmas Day dud against the Milwaukee Bucks, a 138-99 setback that suggests the Warriors aren’t ready to compete in a loaded Western Conference. Stephen Curry, the two-time MVP and only mainstay on the floor from Golden State’s championship heyday, is frustrated. Steph vents “We need to win,” Curry told reporters after Friday’s loss. “Immediately.” So what do the Warriors need to fix what’s ailing them? “I don't know,” Curry continued. “We just have to focus more on what we're trying to do. Sometimes when you miss shots, you tend to force and press and not think. “Our group's collective IQ has to get a lot better in those moments where you're not making shots.” Gone from the Warriors’ 2019 Finals core are Thompson and Kevin Durant, who looks very much like an MVP contender with the Nets in his first games back from his own crushing injury. They’re obviously not walking through the door. Draymond Green has also been missing, sitting the 0-2 start with what’s being reported as a minor foot injury. He’s expected to return soon, possibly for Sunday’s game against the Chicago Bulls. New Warriors core not cutting it In their place are Andrew Wiggins, Kelly Oubre Jr. and rookie James Wiseman. With a nod to Wiseman’s more than promising start, this is a core that’s failed to live up to expectations through two games, much less fill the shoes of their All-NBA predecessors. Wiggins was acquired last season to help fill the massive void on the wing left by the departed Durant while ensuring that Golden State would get a long-term return on their investment in D’Angelo Russell. The former No. 1 overall pick, of course, was never expected to replace Durant. But he was supposed to be better than this. Wiggins followed up his 4-of-16 effort on opening night with another disaster from the field on Friday. He tallied 12 points against the Bucks on 6-of-18 shooting, including misses on all four of his 3-point attempts. Oubre has somehow been worse. Acquired this offseason after the Thompson injury, the former Phoenix Sun scored three points on Christmas on 1-of-10 shooting from the field. He missed all five of his 3-point attempts. Friday’s game followed up a 3-of-14 effort against the Nets. A Splash Brother, he is not. There is a bright spot for Golden State Wiseman has provided the beacon of hope in this slow Warriors start. The rookie center is averaging 18.5 points, seven rebounds and 1.5 blocks in his brief NBA tenure while connecting 4 of 5 3-point attempts. It’s the inside-out game the Warriors banked on when making the athletic 7-footer the No. 2 pick in the draft. But a rookie center showing upside isn’t enough to make Golden State competitive, especially when Curry doesn’t resemble his former form. The Warriors sharpshooter is connecting on just 34.2% of his field-goal attempts, a rate that’s weighed down by a 4-of-20 effort from 3-point distance in two games. There’s surely better to come from Curry, who missed all but five games last season with a broken hand. Oubre and Wiggins are likewise bound to improve. How could they not? But even then, it’s hard to envision this version of the Warriors mounting any sort of threat in the West. Basketball stat collect from isports API, for more details please visit www.isportsapi.com .

Anthony Davis to miss Lakers game against Timberwolves with calf strain

The Los Angeles Lakers will be without one of their biggest stars against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday night. Big man Anthony Davis will be out nursing a calf strain, according to ESPN reporter Dave McMenamin. In two games this season, Anthony Davis is averaging 23 points and 7.5 rebounds per game while shooting 58% from the floor and 43% from behind the arc on 3.5 attempts per game. He has not reached 31 minutes played in either game. Davis has been taking the load off LeBron James, who is averaging 7.5 assists and has scored 22 points in both his games but is shooting just 43% from the field. Without Davis, James will be missing his running mate. Last season, the Lakers were 6-3 in games without Davis. This year, Los Angeles has more depth. The team can expect Montrezl Harrell, Kyle Kuzma and Markieff Morriss, all of whom came off the bench in the first two games of the season, to play a bigger role without Davis in the lineup. Harrell’s 19.5 points per game is third on the team, and Kuzma is averaging 14.0 on excellent shooting percentages. Markieff Morris has made four of his seven 3-point attempts this year. The Lakers (1-1) are scheduled to tip off against the Timberwolves (2-0) at 7 p.m. at Staples Center. Basketball stat collect from isports API, for more details please visit www.isportsapi.com .

Adam Silver: James Harden wasn't suspended for partying because 'it's Christmas'

Santa has brought James Harden a very special gift this year: no suspension for violating the NBA’s COVID-19 protocols and contributing to the postponement of his team’s first game of the season. The Houston Rockets star was not suspended by the NBA for “attending a private indoor party” with more than 15 people, which is in violation of the NBA’s health and safety protocols, and was instead fined $50,000. Photos and a video surfaced that showed Harden was not wearing a mask at the party, which allegedly took place at a strip club (which Harden has denied). An offense like that seems pretty serious since it appears that Harden knowingly broke the NBA’s rules. So why wasn’t he suspended? NBA commissioner Adam Silver appeared on ESPN’s “The Jump” on Thursday to explain. Silver’s heart was softened by the Christmas holiday. And also because this was Harden’s “first offense” of the season, which is barely two days old. Harden is lucky it’s Christmas, because a less festive time of year might have caused Silver to remember that Harden was late to Rockets training camp because he was allegedly partying in Atlanta and Las Vegas without a mask, as seen in a video and several photos on his Instagram. If Silver had taken that into account and decided to suspend Harden, that would have cost him his salary for one game, which is around $500,000. Harden better be leaving Santa an impressive spread of cookies and milk on Christmas Eve. He owes him big time. Harden has made it clear that he wants out of Houston this season, though he initially gave a very limited list of teams he’d find acceptable. Now, it seems, his list of preferred destinations is growing. Harden, according to The Athletic’s Sam Amick, is now open to deals that send him to the Boston Celtics or the Portland Trail Blazers. He had initially said that he was only interested in the Philadelphia 76ers or the Brooklyn Nets, though later expanded his list to add the Miami Heat and Milwaukee Bucks. The Heat have reportedly since moved on. Whether either the Celtics or the Trail Blazers are interested in a possible deal for Harden — especially after his latest incident — is unclear. Basketball stat collect from isports API, for more details please visit www.isportsapi.com .

Charles Barkley on the James Harden trade package he’d accept immediately from the Nets

James Harden returned to the court alongside his Rockets teammates earlier this week, and while the former NBA MVP says he’s “focused on being here” in Houston at the moment, trade rumors continue to swirl following Harden’s reported trade request. NBA legend and TNT analyst Charles Barkley isn’t so sure that Harden will be able to adapt to a new team’s system if and when he leaves Houston. During an appearance on ESPN’s Keyshawn, JWill & Zubin show, Barkley said that he hopes the Rockets will work out a trade with the Brooklyn Nets – just so he can see the Nets implode with Harden, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant struggling to share the basketball. Barkley said Houston should agree to the trade immediately if they can get a package including Spencer Dinwiddie, Caris LeVert and Jarrett Allen. “If I’m [Houston], give me that kid with the afro that I like a lot. Allen. Give me Dinwiddie, and give me LeVert and let the Rockets go forward with a really pretty good, solid team. I’d take that trade tomorrow if I’m the Rockets. Because like I say, you give me Allen, Dinwiddie and LeVert, and you’ve got John Wall now? We’re just as good as we were gonna be, but we’re not going to have that drama, and we’d have a pretty solid team.” Per the ESPN’s trade machine, this exact 3-for-1 for Harden wouldn’t work – but could go through if the Nets add another player on a small contract like Bruce Brown. Barkley also questioned whether Harden could adapt his game to a different offensive system. Basketball stat collect from isports API, for more details please visit www.isportsapi.com .

Fans React After Giannis Antetokounmpo Signs Supermax Extension With Milwaukee Bucks

Giannis Antetokounmpo is not leaving the Milwaukee Bucks. After months of speculation swirling around the NBA star, Giannis opted to re-sign with the Bucks and dash the hopes of fans hopeful that the Greek Freak might one day join their favorite team. According to The Athletic's Shams Charania, Giannis signed on for a five-year, $228.2 million supermax extension, which is te largest deal in NBA history. In the days leading up to his decision, Giannis said that he would make up his mind based on the Bucks' ability to remain competitive moving forward. In a tribute to his adopted home after news of the deal broke, Giannis seemed optimistic about what lies ahead. "This is my home, this is my city," he wrote on Twitter. "I’m blessed to be able to be a part of the Milwaukee Bucks for the next 5 years. Let’s make these years count. The show goes on, let’s get it." Antetokounmpo has arguably been the best player in the league over the last two years. He's led the Bucks to two straight seasons as the winningest team in the NBA, winning the MVP award and falling short in the playoffs both times. With a potential free agency approaching for the superstar, front offices and fans in cities like Miami, Dallas, Los Angeles, and Toronto were salivating at the idea of acquiring his services. While Giannis, his accountant, and the city of Milwaukee are presumably ecstatic that they were able to strike a deal, that joy wasn't matched by disgruntled fans throughout the league. The Basketball stat collect from isports API, for more details please visit www.isportsapi.com .

Harden practices with Rockets; coach says he'll play Tuesday

HOUSTON (AP) -- James Harden practiced with the Houston Rockets on Monday for the first time this season after missing the early part of camp while talk swirls that he wants out. Harden reported to camp late amid reports he is looking to be traded. He was absent for Houston's first two preseason games as he went through the NBA's COVID-19 testing protocols. Coach Stephen Silas said he spoke with the superstar Monday, but they talked strictly basketball and neither addressed a possible trade. ''We had a good conversation and I'm just going to leave it at that,'' Silas said. ''You can ask him about his commitment and all that sort of thing. But we had a good conversation. He was locked in. He was asking good questions. He's bringing up good points.'' So far asking Harden anything hasn't been an option - the Beard hasn't spoken to reporters since reporting to camp. Silas said that Harden will make his preseason debut Tuesday night when the Rockets host the Spurs. The Rockets traded Russell Westbrook to Washington for John Wall and a first-round pick on Dec. 2 to cap a short offseason that was plagued by rumors that both Westbrook and Harden wanted to leave Houston. Some thought the Westbrook trade would change Harden's mind about the Rockets, but the reports that he wants to leave have persisted in the almost two weeks since the deal. Silas, in his first year in Houston after taking over for Mike D'Antoni, has said he expects Harden to be ''all in'' this season. The coach also denied that speculation about the eight-time All-Star's future has been a distraction to the team. ''It's been something that the media has been talking about quite a bit and I've had to answer a lot of questions about it,'' Silas said. ''But as far as our growth and our pushing forward this season, we've been right on pace.'' Veteran P.J. Tucker also practiced Monday after missing the first two preseason games. He is being worked in slowly after he reported to camp a day late. Tucker is in the final year of a four-year, $31.8 million contract and some have suggested he is also unhappy in Houston because he hasn't been given an extension. He did speak to reporters Monday but didn't provide much clarity on the situation. ''It not even just in the contract extension,'' he said. ''That's not the total goal. The goal is to be in a place where you you're wanted, where you want to be ... that's what every player wants. No one wants to be somewhere they don't want them. And there's certain ways to show that and it's not just contract extensions.'' Tucker was asked if he feels the Rockets no longer want him. ''You should ask them. Because you're asking me a question about what they think, and I can't tell you,'' he said. Basketball stat collect from isports API, for more details please visit www.isportsapi.com .

Latest on Nets trade target James Harden: Rockets reportedly want either Kevin Durant or Kyrie Irving

The Nets have been connected to Rockets superstar James Harden via trade rumors for a long time now, and though he has shown up to Houston's training camp, it still continues. Here's the latest... Dec. 10, 11:34 a.m. While adding that the Milwaukee Bucks and Miami Heat are now on the list of preferred trade destinations for Harden, The Athletic's Shams Charania said the Rockets want either Kevin Durant or Kyrie Irving in a proposed deal. If not, there's no interest there. If that's the case, it would likely turn off Brooklyn from making anything happen. Head coach Steve Nash has already praised Durant and Irving early in training camp, and at the end of the day, the two All-Stars chose Brooklyn for a reason. Dec. 8, 5:52 p.m. Harden is reportedly open to other playoff contenders in a trade – not just the Nets. The 76ers were among his list, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, and a main reason could be due to former Rockets GM Daryl Morey in place there. However, Morey has been adamant about wanting to keep Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid in place in Philly. Given Harden’s status, it would be hard to see the Rockets not wanting one of them in a deal. Dec. 7, 2:08 p.m. Nets head coach Steve Nash downplayed the Harden trade rumors in his recent presser. Addressing the “elephant in the room,” Nash wants to just talk about his current players – not one that isn’t in the building. “I guess we let the elephant be," he said. "I love our guys and hopefully they all feel valued and wanted and respected. We have so many guys that bring so much to the table. When I’m in the gym with them everyday, I feel fortunate. So hopefully they feel that and they don’t feel like we’re looking out the window at greener pastures.” Nov. 16, 9:19 p.m. Harden reportedly turned down a max extension with Houston that would’ve set an NBA record. He would’ve been in the first player to ever make $50 million per season with the extension, but ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski is hearing that he didn’t want it. And on top of that, he’s focused on a trade to Brooklyn. Harden supposedly had conversations with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving about joining the Nets and is now focused on that. The idea of it “resonated” with him and his “focus” shifted recently. Nothing has come out of conversations with the Rockets and Harden regarding a deal. Nov. 15, 5:18 p.m. Harden trade rumors to the Nets have been buzzing lately, but SNY’s Ian Begley is hearing from sources that it isn’t universally accepted by Nets players. Some players were supportive, but not all players contacted about a potential Harden-to-Brooklyn deal were in favor. On Sunday, ESPN reported that a deal to Brooklyn “resonated” with Harden and that was his primary focus at the moment. Basketball stat collect from isports API, for more details please visit www.isportsapi.com .

Nets' Kevin Durant responds to latest question about Rockets' James Harden

Reportedly disgruntled Houston Rockets guard James Harden continues to be a topic around the Nets. While the Nets have collectively ignored rumors of a potential trade that would bring Harden to Brooklyn, Kevin Durant has been viewed as a key figure in the past month. Asked a two-part question about the Nets' depth from a championship perspective and what he thinks about Harden, his former Oklahoma City Thunder teammate from 2009-12, Durant was direct. "I don't think about James Harden at all," Durant said Wednesday. "I mean, he doesn't play on our team. "And the first question, I think it's early in a season. It's training camp and guys are still learning each other, still learning the offense and defense. But I'm very excited about the future of this group, you know? I've never been the one to predict anything, but I like our chances, going out there and competing at that high level every single night. And as tough as that is in this league, I think we're capable of doing it. "And we've got a lot of guys who have experienced so much in this league. We've got champions on this team. We've got guys that been in playoff runs, been in Game 7s. So that's always important, to have that much experience and knowledge within a group, and we'll see where we go from here." SNY's Ian Begley reported Nov. 17 what a Nets trade with the Rockets could look like for Brooklyn. General manager Sean Marks, head coach Steve Nash and Durant twice now have addressed outside chatter of Harden. Durant, who missed the 2019-20 season while recovering from a ruptured right Achilles tendon, keeps the focus on strong debut with Brooklyn's current team. After a year around the Nets, despite not playing, Durant expressed a strong comfort level with the team. "Definitely being here for a year already and rehabbing and kind of getting used to everybody here and a routine, I'm definitely more comfortable," Durant said. "If I would've played last year, I would've probably been a little overwhelmed, I guess, with such a quick change -- switching teams and being in a different environment. But I think having a year under my belt definitely helped me coming into this camp because I know the training staff, the coaches, all my teammates pretty well now. So it's been smoother than I thought." Basketball stat collect from isports API, for more details please visit www.isportsapi.com .

Anthony Davis won't be getting LeBron James' No. 23 jersey number after all

The Los Angeles Lakers’ jersey number drama will not have a sequel. Many NBA fans will remember that when the Lakers acquired Anthony Davis last offseason, the move came with an enthusiastic promise from LeBron James to cede his No. 23 to his new teammate. James had worn the No. 23 for his entire non-Miami Heat career, while Davis had the same number on the New Orleans Pelicans. The two even held some kind of poorly lit parking lot ceremony to commemorate the transfer on Instagram. The agreement signaled James’ enthusiasm to center the team around Davis, but there was just one problem. Nike had already made a few too many James No. 23 jerseys, and the Lakers had missed the deadline for jersey number swaps by months. Due to the financial hit the apparel maker would take with so many out-of-date James jerseys, Davis eventually had to settle on No. 3, with the plan reportedly being to take No. 23 in a year. However, that plan — which feels like ancient history these days — is reportedly now off. According to Silver Screen & Roll, a team spokesperson confirmed that Davis has warmed to his No. 3 and will not be swapping numbers this offseason. It’s not hard to figure out why that might be; winning a championship will give you some pretty great memories with a new number. So if you bought a James No. 23 jersey or a Davis No. 3 jersey or were just eyeing one, rest easy. Like those players, the numbers are here to stay for the foreseeable future. Unless a third star also wants No. 23 next offseason. Basketball stat collect from isports API, for more details please visit www.isportsapi.com .

Anthony Davis and Rich Paul to meet with Lakers on Tuesday

Anthony Davis and his agent, Rich Paul of Klutch Sports, are scheduled to meet with the Lakers and general manager Rob Pelinka on Tuesday, according to people with knowledge of the situation not authorized to speak publicly on the matter. Davis opted out of the final year of his contract to become a free agent. The sort of contract Davis seeks remains a mystery. The 6-foot-10 forward has plenty of options before joining the club for training camp, which officially opens Tuesday around the NBA. Teams, though, can't practice in full because of COVID-19 health and safety protocols, which allow for only four players and four coaches to be in the training facility at one time. Davis can sign a two-year contract with a player option for the 2021-22 season worth about $68 million. That would set him up to become a free agent at the same time as LeBron James. Davis can sign a three-year contract with a player option for the 2022-23 season for about $106 million. He can sign a four-year extension for about $146.7 million or a five-year deal for about $189 million. Davis was a force for the Lakers during the 2019-20 regular season. He was first in scoring (26.1), rebounding (9.3), blocks (2.3) and steals (1.5) and third in assists (3.2). He was first in the playoffs in scoring (27.7) and second in rebounds (9.7). The Lakers have fortified their roster this offseason through trades for point guard Dennis Schroder and center Marc Gasol as well as the free-agent signings of center Montrezl Harrell and guard Wesley Matthews. The club also re-signed guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and forwards Markieff Morris and Jared Dudley, who agreed to terms Monday on a one-year, $2.6-million contract. Gone from the core of last season’s championship team are Avery Bradley, Danny Green, Dwight Howard, JaVale McGee, Rajon Rondo and Quinn Cook as well as late-season additions J.R. Smith and Dion Waters. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Basketball stat collect from isports API, for more details please visit www.isportsapi.com .

Report: Marc Gasol signs with Lakers

The Los Angeles Lakers have reached an agreement to sign free agent center Marc Gasol, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic. The 35-year-old Spaniard was said to be a top priority for the Toronto Raptors who also lost Serge Ibaka to the Los Angeles Clippers over the weekend. However, much like with Ibaka, the Raptors had the option to offer the most money but decided instead to maintain their financial flexibility. The Lakers also freed up their books by salary dumping JaVale McGee to accommodate the addition of Gasol as they continue to stockpile in pursuit of their title defense. Gasol was the final piece of the championship puzzle for the Raptors after arriving at the trade deadline in 2019. He was the glue that held the team together on both ends, with his three-point shooting creating space in the paint, his passing to unlock stiffer defenses, and his indispensable rim protection that came in handy against Joel Embiid and Giannis Antetokounmpo. Gasol happily accepted his role as the fifth option despite being a perennial All-Star with the Memphis Grizzlies, but when it came time to party during the championship parade, Gasol was undoubtedly the star of the show. Gasol also stretched himself to the limit by competing in the FIBA World Cup shortly after winning the title. He was nothing short of sensational and led Spain to the gold medal to cap off his championship summer. However, the consequence of that was an inconsistent season with the Raptors where he battled a lingering hamstring issue, while losing all appetite for scoring. Even simple plays seemed to elude Gasol at times, although he remained as dominant as ever on the defensive end. Ultimately, with Gasol being in the twilight of his career, he decided to follow in the footsteps of his brother Pau Gasol and join the Lakers. Marc was actually drafted by the Lakers over a decade ago, but before he could put on the purple and gold, he was traded to Memphis for his brother. In that sense, Marc now gets to complete his NBA journey by going full circle, and he has a great shot at picking up a second title in the process. After the Gasol signing was announced, the Raptors added free agent center Aron Baynes from the Phoenix Suns on a two-year, $14-million deal, while also re-signing Chris Boucher to a 2-year, $13-million contract. It’s a downgrade from Gasol and Serge Ibaka, but as temporarily placeholders, the Raptors should still get by and compete. Basketball stat collect from isports API, for more details please visit www.isportsapi.com .

Lakers have no plans to become complacent

The goal is to repeat as champions and have sustained success, which is why Lakers vice president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka acquired point guard Dennis Schroder from Oklahoma City and it is why he will continue to scour the free-agent market, look at other trade scenarios and push to retain his core players that were central to the franchise winning its NBA record-tying 17th championship. Getting Schröder for Danny Green and the 28th pick (Jaden McDaniels) in Wednesday night’s NBA draft was the first step Pelinka took in his quest for the Lakers to win again. The next steps for Pelinka are to get Anthony Davis re-signed to a deal after the forward opted out and to decide which other free agents from the team the Lakers will re-sign. “Like this is just a group of guys that fit, that worked together and we’d love to keep our core as close as we can,” Pelinka said during a video call with reporters Thursday morning. “But if there’s opportunities to get better and to address needs like we did with Dennis, we’ll take advantage of those.” Besides Davis opting out to become a free agent, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Rajon Rondo and Avery Bradley all opted out of their deals and became free agents. Dwight Howard and Markieff Morris, key role players for the Lakers last season, are free agents and both sides have strong interest in linking up again. The Lakers announced Thursday that they had declined the option on reserve guard Quinn Cook, making him a free agent. His non-guaranteed contract for $3 million did allow him to get $1 million on his way out. Center JaVale McGee opted into his contract for $4.2 million. Teams can start free-agent negotiations Friday at 3 p.m. PST and they can sign players Sunday starting at 9:01 a.m. PST. The Lakers are projected to have the mid-level exception of $9.2 million, the biannual exception of $3.6 million and the veteran minimum at their disposal to lure free agents. One prominent name who remains interested in the Lakers is free-agent wing player Wesley Matthews. ”Our approach will be to be aggressive,” Pelinka said. “I think there’s a handful of teams that probably hope to contend or be in a position to contend. We’re not gonna just sit back and not expect others who are in position to try to better their roster or better their teams. So we have to stay aggressive. “I think the danger of winning is complacency, and I won’t … we won’t allow that to creep in here. We’re gonna try to improve our team and put coach [Frank] Vogel and his staff in the best possible position to defend. And our owner Jeanie Buss has given us all the resources at hand to do that. So be aggressive and make sure we increase that probability as high as we possibly can to get No. 18.” Most NBA executives believe Davis, who opted out of deal that would have paid him $28.7 million this season, will return to the Lakers. Caldwell-Pope wants to return, but he’s looking for a raise from the $8.4 million he was due to earn next season. Rondo has drawn interest from the Clippers and Atlanta Hawks, but he could return to Lakers now that Bradley opted out. Forward Kyle Kuzma is eligible for a contract extension, but most executives don’t believe he’ll get one this season. “I think it’s easy to fall into complacency when you win a title and to just say, ‘Hey, let’s just run it back,’” Pelinka said. “But at the same time, I think my school of thinking is always let’s find ways we can become even better, every offseason let’s get better. I think we never want to just settle, and I think this was an opportunity to get better. It’s hard to lose a player like Danny. He was an ultimate professional and really filled a great role for us and played well. But overall, we just feel like this addition of a younger player to our core and for the future was something that we couldn’t pass on.” Schröder, 27, averaged 18.9 points per game, 4.0 assists and 3.6 rebounds for the Thunder last season. He led the league in scoring off the bench and finished second in voting for the NBA’s sixth man of the year. “I think in canvasing the league and doing research around a player like him, it comes back that Dennis is a player that other teams hate to play against but his teammates love to play with because he has that kind of nasty tenacity, grit and that’s really at the center of how we play and we win,” Pelinka said. “And so, he really folds in perfectly to that. And then I think he gives us offensively just another elite playmaker both on the ball or on the ball in the pick-and-roll situation or off the ball as a scorer. So he really just fits us perfectly.” This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Basketball stat collect from isports API, for more details please visit www.isportsapi.com .

Report: Russell Westbrook wants to leave Rockets

Houston Rockets guard Russell Westbrook wants to leave the team, The Athletic’s Shams Charania reports.

The news arrives on the heels of a report from ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Tim MacMahon that both Westbrook and James Harden share concerns about the future of the franchise. Both former MVP guards have expressed their concerns with team management and their agents, according to the report. Offseason tumult follows early playoff exit The Rockets lost to the eventual champion Los Angeles Lakers in five games in the second round of the playoffs and have undergone a significant management shakeup this offseason. Head coach Mike D’Antoni resigned shortly after the end of Houston’s season in September. Longtime general manager Daryl Morey left the team a month later. Both have taken new jobs since. D’Antoni joined Steve Nash’s coaching staff with the Brooklyn Nets while Morey joined the Philadelphia 76ers as head of basketball operations. Houston Rockets' P.J. Tucker, left, and Russell Westbrook sit on the bench in the closing minutes of a loss to the Los Angeles Lakers during the second half of an NBA conference semifinal playoff basketball game Saturday, Sept. 12, 2020, in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill) Russell Westbrook, right, is reportedly concerned about the direction of the franchise. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill) More Rockets brass claims to be ‘all in’ The Rockets promoted longtime assistant general manager Rafael Stone to replace Morey. Veteran assisant and first-time NBA head coach Stephen Silas replaced D’Antoni. Stone told the Houston Chronicle last week that the Rockets remain “all in” on seeking a championship with the core built around Harden and Westbrook. “We’re still all in,” Stone told the Chronicle. “Our goal is to win a championship. We’ll do anything we can to get us closer to that goal. ... “In our situation, lots of [other teams] want our players. That’s a great place to be. You have to make sure if you do something, it makes you better. I’m very optimistic the team is going to be very competitive.” Tough sell for Westbrook Westbrook appears to be unconvinced. Harden, meanwhile, remains committed and is “locked in” for the season, per Charania. A team that was built around Harden’s talents implementing Morey’s vision and D’Antoni’s small-ball scheme is now under new management in a loaded Western Conference. It’s difficult to see a path for this core to get out of the Western Conference. Westbrook has three years remaining on a five-year, $207 million extension he signed with the Oklahoma City Thunder prior to the trade that brought him to Houston last season. He has a player option for the 2022-23 season. If he wants out now, it’s going to be on the Rockets’ terms. Basketball stat collect from isports API, for more details please visit www.isportsapi.com .

Rumor: Devin Booker wants to leave Suns

Devin Booker said in 2018, “This is probably my last year ever not making the playoffs.” The Suns missed the playoffs in 2019 and 2020 and face a difficult path for making the 2021 playoffs. Ryen Russillo on The Bill Simmons Podcast: The worst-kept secret in the league is Booker already wants out of there. Stars often want to leave losing teams. But does Booker want to leave Phoenix? I’m less convinced. Even more than stars want to leave losing teams, people love to talk about stars leaving losing teams. These assessments can quickly gain momentum with little underlying reason. This rumor sounds mostly circumstantial. Maybe Booker will eventually request a trade. The Suns just had their best season with him. They went 34-39. At some point, Booker surely wants to see more team success. He did his part last season, advancing into a genuine star rather than someone whose dazzling numbers outshined his contributions to winning. Though Booker has (admirably) repeatedly talked about looking in the mirror for improvement, he could eventually pin the blame elsewhere. But Phoenix’s 8-0 bubble performance was encouraging, and Deandre Ayton could be a nice young co-star for Booker. Booker also has four years left on his contract. The Suns, whether or not he loves their methodology, are built around him. It’s difficult to see this situation spiraling into a trade any time soon. But with other teams so interested in prying Booker loose, expect this chatter to continue. The best thing Phoenix can do to silence it: Win. Otherwise, Booker’s desire to reach the playoffs could very well lead to a breakup with the Suns – down the road. Basketball stat collect from isports API, for more details please visit www.isportsapi.com .

NBA Rumors: Gordon Hayward wants out of Celtics contract for 2020-21 season

Report: Hayward wants out of Celtics contract for upcoming season originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston Gordon Hayward's future with the Boston Celtics is getting murkier by the day. Hayward can earn $34.1 million next season by opting into the final year of his Celtics contract, and many assumed he'd take that option in light of the injuries and inconsistencies that have prevented him from reaching his full potential. It sounds like the veteran forward is leaning the other way, though. On Tuesday's episode of "The Bill Simmons Podcast," The Ringer's Ryen Russillo reported Hayward "does want out" of the final year of his deal. ESPN's Zach Lowe and Bobby Marks recently hinted at some "buzz" that Hayward may opt out and seek a long-term deal with a new team, much like Al Horford did when he spurned the Celtics to sign a four-year, $109 pact with the Philadelphia 76ers. It appears that "buzz" is growing louder. There are logical reasons why Hayward would turn down $34.1 million from the Celtics, one of which is financial: It may benefit the 30-year-old to sign a long-term deal now rather than wait until next offseason, when NBA teams may have less cash to spend after a shortened 2020-21 season. (The 2021 free agent class is set to be historically loaded, as well.) It's also possible Hayward just wants a change in scenery after suffering a rash of injuries that have relegated him to the Celtics' fourth option (at best) behind Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Kemba Walker. As Russillo pointed out, though, Hayward would want some assurance of a long-term deal before jumping ship. "He's not opting out of that huge number unless he knows he's getting the deal," Russillo added. Hayward also is the subject of trade rumors, and with no deadline set for player options, everything is still on the table -- including him taking a page from Horford's book this winter. Basketball stat collect from isports API, for more details please visit www.isportsapi.com .

If James Wiseman avoids being picked by Timberwolves, how far will he fall?

A recent report from ESPN's Brian Windhorst has a chance to shake up the top of the 2020 NBA Draft, as he revealed on 'The Scoop' podcast that Memphis big man James Wiseman does not want to play for the Minnesota Timberwolves, who hold the No. 1 overall pick. Wiseman is considered by most to be a top-three prospect in this draft. Whether Minnesota wants him or not, he is on the short-list of players they are likely considering. Wiseman, though, apparently sees too much positional overlap with T'Wolves star big man Karl-Anthony Towns. It may remind Washington fans of the 2013 draft when Victor Oladipo wouldn't work out with the Wizards because they already had John Wall and Bradley Beal. That can happen in the draft sometimes as top prospects have leverage and naturally want to find the best situation for them to succeed. Wiseman evidently does not see a path to stardom in Minnesota. There are reasons to believe the Timberwolves would be a better situation that Wiseman thinks, though. For one, Towns plays a different style than Wiseman, who is much more interior oriented. Wiseman doesn't have the outside shot of Towns, who is arguably the best three-point shooting big man in the game. On offense, Wiseman could patrol the paint and free up Towns to work the perimeter. The inside-outside combination would be very difficult for teams to defend, especially with D'Angelo Russell handling the ball. With Russell there, you could argue the fit would be worse for LaMelo Ball. It's hard to see how those two could both succeed on the same team as ball-dominant guards. Wiseman should also consider the alternatives. The second overall pick is held by the Warriors who may not have a similar player to him, but might present a difficult situation for a young player. It may be years before he earns a large role in their offense with Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson still in their primes. The third pick is held by the Hornets, who would give Wiseman an opportunity to play and be an important part of their rotation. But they don't have nearly as much talent as the Timberwolves do and may be in for a lengthy rebuild. Then it becomes a question of how far is Wiseman willing to fall in the draft to find the perfect situation. Add it all up and maybe he should reconsider his stance. That is, of course, if it even matters, as Georgie's Anthony Edwards appears to be the most likely No. 1 pick. Basketball stat collect from isports API, for more details please visit www.isportsapi.com .

Clippers interested in Rajon Rondo, Lakers want him back as well, per report

Last offseason, the Lakers and the Clippers battled for Kawhi Leonard in free agency. They may not have met on the court in the Western Conference finals as most predicted, but that doesn't mean the two sides are done battling one another. In 2020, the two have their hearts set on the same free agent point guard: Rajon Rondo. According to Marc Stein of the New York Times, the Clippers are interested in poaching Rondo away from the Lakers, who also want him back. Rondo has a $2.7 million player option for next season -- a 120 percent raise on his 2019-20 minimum salary -- but is obviously expected to decline it after a stellar postseason. Stein indicates that Rondo wants to test the market, suggesting that his primary goal is cashing in. So, who can pay Rondo more? Well, it's complicated. Technically, if the cap comes in at last year's $109 million total, both should be able to offer somewhere between $9M-10M. How and why they'll be able to do so, or not do so, depends on a variety of other factors. Let's start with the Lakers. As Rondo has played two seasons in Los Angeles, he has Early Bird Rights with the Lakers. That means the Lakers can pay him either 175 percent of his 2019-20 salary, or, more pertinently, 105 percent of the league's average salary. That was $9.3 million last season, so 105 percent of it would be around $9.8 million. There are caveats, though. Deals signed with Early Bird Rights must last at least two seasons. The Lakers have so far avoided giving out deals that last into the 2021 offseason, when they could possibly create cap space to pursue another star. Perhaps a non-guaranteed second season could solve that, but if the Lakers prioritize immediate improvement over 2021 ambitions, that creates another difficulty. The Lakers have two primary methods of improvement through free agency: the non-taxpayer mid-level exception and sign-and-trades. That is their best chance of acquiring a starting-caliber player, but doing so would trigger a hard cap. Last season, that hard cap was around $139 million. If the Lakers are bound by that hard cap, there is almost no chance that they would have the money to pay Rondo what he's looking for. If the Lakers choose to keep Rondo instead, they would likely only be able to use the smaller, $5.7 million taxpayer mid-level exception on outside free agents. Not bad, but not as impactful as they'd like. There are pros and cons to both approaches. Which path the Lakers choose depends on how much improvement they think they'll need to win in 2021 as well as how important chasing another star is to them beyond that. Hanging over any Lakers decision is their hail mary pitch to shed some salary. The Lakers have applied for a Career-Ending Injury exemption on the dead money owed to Luol Deng, whom they waived with the stretch provision before the 2018-19 season. They are unlikely to be granted that exemption. If they are, though, it would clear around $5 million off of their books, making it easier to potentially keep Rondo without impacting their other plans. The Clippers can't offer Rondo quite as much as the Lakers can. The most they can offer is the league's average salary through the non-taxpayer mid-level exception, so $9.3 million. Like the Lakers, they also have to be mindful of a hard cap. Marcus Morris and Montrezl Harrell are both free agents. It's a bit simplistic, but the Clippers will probably be forced to go one of two routes. If they let one of those players go, they can use both the full MLE and the smaller $3.6 million bi-annual exception. If they keep both, they are probably limited to the taxpayer mid-level exception. Where exactly their offers will fall depends on the other moves both the Lakers and Clippers line up. There are scenarios in which one side offers significantly more than the other. There are scenarios in which both are offering him as much as they can, and ones in which they both have to lowball him a bit. We just won't know until their other plans become a bit clearer. What we can safely say is that the Clippers are a genuine threat to steal Rondo away from the Lakers. He has relationships with both Clippers coach Ty Lue and top basketball executive Lawrence Frank from their time together in Boston. He wouldn't have to relocate. He presumably wants to continue winning, and the Clippers offer that path. LeBron James and Anthony Davis both love playing with Rondo and will surely fight to bring him back, but if money is the priority, there is a decent chance Rondo is a Clipper next season.