Khobi Price – Orange County Register

Lakers, Clippers placed in same 2025 NBA Cup group

Khobi Price — Wed, 09 Jul 2025 19:26:59 +0000

The Lakers and Clippers will be in the same group for the opening round of the 2025 NBA Cup.

The crosstown rivals were placed in West Group B for the third iteration of the NBA’s In-Season Tournament, the league announced Wednesday, alongside the Memphis Grizzlies, Dallas Mavericks and New Orleans Pelicans.

All 30 teams were randomly drawn into groups of five within their conference based on win-loss records from the 2024-25 regular season.

The Lakers will be the top seed in West Group B and the Clippers will be the No. 2 seed. The Grizzlies are the No. 3 seed, the Mavericks are slotted at No. 4 and the Pelicans are No. 5.

Group-play games for the 2025 NBA Cup will take place on Fridays from Oct. 31-Nov. 28. Quarterfinal games, to be played at the arena of the higher-seeded team, will take place Tuesday, Dec. 9, and Wednesday, Dec. 10. The semifinals will be played Saturday, Dec. 13, in Las Vegas and the final – which will not count toward the season record or statistics for either of the clubs involved – is scheduled for Tuesday, Dec. 16, also in Las Vegas.

Each team will play one game against each of the four opponents in its group – two games at home and two on the road.

Eight teams will advance to the quarterfinals: the team with the best standing in group-play games in each of the six groups and one wild-card team from each conference. The wild card will be the team from each conference with the best record in group-play games that finished second in its group (with point differential a tiebreaker).

Teams that do not reach the quarterfinals or semifinals will have added to their schedules matchups against two other teams that also did not qualify for the Cup playoffs, pushing the season to the full 82 games.

Quarterfinal and semifinal games will count toward the regular season for the teams involved.

The Lakers will host the Clippers and Mavericks, and travel to the Grizzlies and Pelicans. The Clippers will host the Grizzlies and Pelicans, and travel to the Mavericks and Lakers.

The game and broadcast schedules for group play will be announced in August, coinciding with the rest of the NBA’s schedule rollout for the 2025-26 season.

The groups:

East Group A – Cleveland, Indiana, Atlanta, Toronto, Washington

East Group B – Boston, Detroit, Orlando, Brooklyn, Philadelphia

East Group C – Milwaukee, New York, Chicago, Miami, Charlotte

West Group A – Oklahoma City, Minnesota, Sacramento, Phoenix, Utah

West Group B – Lakers, Clippers, Memphis, Dallas, New Orleans

West Group C – Houston, Denver, Golden State, Portland, San Antonio

Fueled by criticism, Deandre Ayton looks to get back to winning with Lakers

Khobi Price — Wed, 09 Jul 2025 01:09:30 +0000

New Lakers center Deandre Ayton listens to a reporter’s question during an introductory press conference on Tuesday, July 8, 2025, at the UCLA Health Training Center in El Segundo. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)

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EL SEGUNDO — For Deandre Ayton, the decision to sign with the Lakers wasn’t a tough choice to make.

After agreeing to a contract buyout with the Trail Blazers to become an unrestricted free agent for the first time in his career, Ayton was looking to get back to a winning situation after back-to-back sub-.500 seasons in Portland.

The kind of winning environment he was a part of with the Phoenix Suns, who had three consecutive winning seasons (2020-23), including a run to the 2021 NBA Finals and a 64-win season the following year, with Ayton as the starting center. The 7-foot Bahamian big man was traded to Portland during the 2023 offseason as part of the transaction that sent Damian Lillard to the Milwaukee Bucks.

“The teams that me and my agents evaluated, I feel that the Lakers [were] the best fit,” Ayton said during his joint introductory press conference with fellow free agent signee Jake LaRavia at the team’s practice facility on Tuesday afternoon.

Ayton continued: “They want to win a championship right now and I want to win right now as well and just be part of a winning legacy and be around winners. And everyone said it was something difficult to think about, but it just brings me back to playing with the Suns and being part of a winning organization.

“Once you win, everything is easy. And that’s what I want to be a part of again. The last two years [were] just a different route for me and I just learned a lot that when you don’t win in this league, you can be forgotten.”

With the Lakers, Ayton is looking to get back to his “full form of how I used to play,” something he believes he will be able to do while playing off of All-Stars Luka Doncic and LeBron James.

“I’m just here to be a part of the puzzle,” Ayton said. “I’m here to fit in with Luka, [Coach] JJ [Redick] and whatever ’Bron wants me to do. That’s about it.”

The playmakers the Lakers have in Doncic and James, as well as rising star Austin Reaves, are the types of players Ayton became accustomed to playing with in Phoenix when he played alongside Devin Booker, Chris Paul and Kevin Durant.

“Just the type of players they create with their teammates – they turn them into superstars,” Ayton said of Doncic and James. “They make them bigger than their roles, they make them very important on the floor. Just seeing that and finally getting the chance to go in and experience that would be big for me. It’s those playmakers I’m used to having around me [that leads] to wins.”

Ayton was the No. 1 pick in the 2018 NBA Draft – two selections ahead of Doncic. The two share an agent in WME Sports’ Bill Duffy.

“This feels like a video game,” Ayton said. “Like somebody set it up. Like somebody set this up. But honestly, this is an opportunity that I won’t take for granted. Luka is a once-in-a-generation player and I’m happy to be his teammate. Hearing about the kind of shape he’s been in, he’s super ripped and I’m finally glad to be on his side when he’s doing all of that.”

LaRavia, the 23-year-old wing the Lakers signed to a two-year, $12 million deal not too long after free agency started last week, also mentioned playing off the Lakers’ stars as something that excited him.

“I’m pretty versatile on both sides of the ball,” LaRavia said. “Being able to space the floor and playing off guys like LeBron, Luka, Austin and then defensively just being able to take on that toughest matchup [on defense] is something that I’ve been growing on as my years have gone on. I’ll fit right in just as that kind of 3-and-D connector-type player on this team. I’m just excited to grow and develop here.”

LaRavia added: “It’s just a well-put-together team. A lot of obviously really, really good players on this team: Luka and LeBron, high-IQ players that’s been in the league a long time. I’m just excited to get with them and learn.”

And while there’s still an element of learning for Ayton, who will turn 27 later in July and is entering his eighth NBA season, joining and thriving with the Lakers will be, in part, about getting back to consistently doing the things he did to impact winning at the highest level with the Suns. And showing that his time with the Trail Blazers isn’t a reflection of his career trajectory.

Ayton has been a polarizing player since he entered the league despite his statistical productivity.

He’s averaged a double-double every season of his career, with career averages of 16.4 points (59% shooting), 10.5 rebounds, 1.6 assists and one blocked shot in 398 regular-season games (30.8 minutes).

But his drawbacks, primarily perceived inconsistencies regarding his effort and team buy-in, have led his first two NBA teams – first the Suns and now the Trail Blazers – to move on from him despite his talent.

“True professionalism,” Ayton responded when asked what he learned at his previous two stops. “I feel like I’ve just been absent for a little bit in this league. And hard work, I’ve just been trying to put in as much work as I possibly can. When I’m on the floor, I want to really just show the world and prove to everybody that I am a winner. Any position I’m in, I just want to really win and sacrifice the way I did coming into this league.”

Ayton said on Tuesday that the criticisms about him not consistently playing at the highest level motivates him.

“It fuels me, it fuels me up completely,” he added. “And it’s a different type of drive that I’ve been wanting to express for a long time. This is the perfect timing, here in the purple and gold. And it’s a platform that I cannot run from. I can show what I really am and just be around some greats to really emphasize that for me as well. It is a lot of fuel in me to prove to the whole world.”

Lakers sign Deandre Ayton, announce array of offseason acquisitions

Khobi Price — Mon, 07 Jul 2025 00:07:52 +0000

The Lakers announced an array of acquisitions throughout Sunday, including the signing of center Deandre Ayton, the No. 1 pick in the 2018 NBA Draft.

The free agency moratorium period ended on Sunday morning, allowing teams to sign players or officially make transactions they agreed to over the past week.

The Lakers agreed to terms with Ayton, who was an unrestricted free agent after agreeing to a contract buyout with the Portland Trail Blazers last weekend, on a two-year, $16.6 million contract with a player option for the 2026-27 season.

“Acquiring a starting-caliber center was the top priority for us this offseason, and we believe Deandre is an amazing solution to that objective and is an ideal player to add to our current core,” Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka said in a statement. “Deandre’s size, mobility and athleticism will allow both paint scoring and paint protection. Deandre’s playoff experience as a starter on an NBA Finals team also aligns well with our ultimate Lakers championship aspirations.”

The team also announced the signing of 23-year-old wing Jake LaRavia, who signed a two-year, $12 million deal.

“Jake is a high-IQ, two-way player with ideal skills for a JJ Redick basketball system,” Pelinka said. “He’s a disruptive defender who uses his size and physicality to create turnovers. Offensively, he can score at all three levels and has a knack for creating space for himself and his teammates. Being just 23 years old, we think Jake has significant basketball upside, which will be honed nicely in our Lakers basketball development program.”

The Lakers also re-signed 25-year-old center Jaxson Hayes to a one-year contract.

The franchise started Sunday by officially acquiring the draft rights of second-round pick Adou Thiero as part of a historic seven-team trade before officially signing him to a contract later in the day.

The transaction that brought Thiero to Los Angeles was headlined by Kevin Durant going from the Phoenix Suns to the Houston Rockets and also involved the Atlanta Hawks, Brooklyn Nets, Golden State Warriors and Minnesota Timberwolves.

The deal had the most teams involved in a single trade in NBA history, beating out the six teams involved in the transaction that sent Klay Thompson to the Dallas Mavericks last offseason.

The seven-team deal revolved around Durant, five other players and a slew of draft picks.

The Lakers selected Thiero with the No. 36 pick in the second round of the NBA draft on June 26 after a pair of draft-day trades. They originally had the No. 55 pick.

Thiero, who will wear jersey No. 1 with the Lakers, won’t participate in the team’s summer league games. He’s in the final stages of his return-to-play process from a left knee ailment he dealt with at Arkansas. Thiero is expected to be fully cleared for training camp.

The Lakers fell to the Golden State Warriors in their California Classic opener on Saturday at the Chase Center in San Francisco before beating the Miami Heat on Sunday. They’ll face the San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday at 7 p.m. (ESPN).

The team will then head to Las Vegas to participate in the league-wide Summer League, with their first game scheduled for Thursday at 5 p.m. PT (ESPN) against the Dallas Mavericks at the Thomas & Mack Center.

Jaxson Hayes returning to Lakers on 1-year deal

Khobi Price — Thu, 03 Jul 2025 23:41:11 +0000

One day after finding their starting center in former No. 1 draft pick Deandre Ayton, the Lakers brought back a familiar face to fortify their big man rotation.

Jaxson Hayes will return to the Lakers on a one-year contract, a source confirmed to the Southern California News Group on Thursday.

Hayes, the No. 8 pick in the 2019 draft, originally joined the Lakers on a two-year, $4.6 million contract during the 2023 offseason.

His salary for 2025-26 wasn’t known as of Thursday evening. The Lakers are able to bring Hayes back and give him a raise from the league minimum salary he originally signed for despite being over the salary cap because they have his Early Bird Rights.

Hayes, 25, will join Maxi Kleber as the backup big men behind Ayton, who agreed to a two-year, $16.6 million contract with the team on Wednesday.

Kleber, who has a $11 million salary for next season as part of a three-year, $33 million deal that expires after 2025-26, was acquired by the Lakers as part of the Feb. 1 trade for All-Star guard Doncic. After being sidelined for three months, Kleber made his Lakers debut in Game 5 of the team’s first-round playoff series defeat to the Minnesota Timberwolves. The 6-foot-10 German big man suffered a fractured right foot that required surgery in a Jan. 25 loss to the Boston Celtics while he was still playing for the Dallas Mavericks, keeping him out until the playoffs. Kleber, whose continued recovery has gone well during the offseason, could give the Lakers another dimension in their big man rotation as a floor-spacing option. He has shot 35.4% from 3-point range (3.1 attempts) over his eight-season NBA career.

In addition to the pending re-signing Hayes and addition of Ayton, who turns 27 later in July, the Lakers also agreed to terms with 23-year-old wing Jake LaRavia on a two-year, $12 million contract.

The Lakers will be able to make their free agency moves official when after the free-agency moratorium period ends Sunday morning. They have 14 players signed to or agreed to terms on standard NBA contracts in addition to second-round draft pick Adou Thiero. Assuming Thiero also signs a standard deal via the second-round exception, the Lakers will have reached the league-maximum 15 players signed to standard deals.

Shake Milton’s $3 million salary for 2025-26 is non-guaranteed and doesn’t become fully guaranteed until July 20. Jordan Goodwin’s $2.35 million salary for 2025-26, $25,006 of which is already guaranteed, will become fully guaranteed after Jan. 10, 2026.

The Lakers are still expected to have access to the bi-annual exception after their free agency signings, which is worth $5.1 million, multiple sources told the SCNG.

Hayes stepped into the most significant role of his career as the Lakers’ starting center after the team traded perennial All-Star Anthony Davis to the Mavericks as part of the deal that brought Doncic to Los Angeles.

Initially, Hayes thrived, playing the best basketball of his young career.

The 7-foot, 220-pound big man averaged 9.3 points (78.2% shooting), 5.7 rebounds and 1.2 blocked shots in 24 games (23.6 minutes) as the Lakers’ starting center from Jan. 30 to March 27 – a period that included Davis being sidelined for a couple of games with an injury before being traded and Doncic and LeBron James being sidelined for stretches because of injury/injury management.

But as the regular season came to a close, Hayes’ playing time diminished even as he remained the team’s starting center.

Hayes averaged just 17 minutes over the final eight regular-season games he played in, recording 4.6 points (on 64% shooting) and 5 rebounds, as the Lakers relied even more on center-less lineups during the season’s final stretch.

And his time on the court was reduced even more during the playoff series against Minnesota: eight minutes played in Game 1; nine minutes in Games 2 and 3; and just four in Game 4 before being taken out of the starting lineup and receiving a DNP-CD (did not play – coach’s decision) in the Lakers’ season-ending Game 5 loss.

“They told me and were straight with me, just saying just to stay ready and they were going to try some other things out,” Hayes said of the coaching staff’s decision to decrease Hayes’ role in the playoff series during his end-of-season press conference. “That’s a coach’s decision, so I respect that.”

Hayes, 25, finished the series with more fouls (eight) than he did points (seven), and had just as many fouls as rebounds and shot attempts in 30 minutes, with bad habits popping back up at the worst time.

“I feel like I grew a good amount … just on the defensive end, stepping up and showing I can compete at the high level, and not just be a backup for a team,” Hayes said. “I feel like I showed I can be out there playing more. Obviously, there’s still a ton I need to work on. But I felt pretty good through the regular season.”

Lakers’ Bronny James not focused on LeBron’s future with franchise

Khobi Price — Wed, 02 Jul 2025 23:36:18 +0000

EL SEGUNDO — For Bronny James, the focus over the next couple of weeks will be on his summer league play with the Lakers.

Not the growing speculation surrounding his dad, LeBron James, and his future with the franchise after comments from his agent, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul, made it less clear how much of the elder James’ future will be with the Lakers.

And that approach is exactly what LeBron has encouraged of Bronny, the No. 55 pick in last year’s draft, who had a business-as-usual approach Wednesday for the Lakers’ summer league team’s practice.

“One of my friends called me, talking about where, what I was gonna do,” Bronny said. [Because] they [saw] my dad, whatever. I didn’t see it. He called me. ‘I was like, Yeah, I have no idea what you’re talking about.’

“I don’t really pay attention to that stuff. There’s a lot of stuff going around that I don’t pay attention to.”

LeBron opted into his $52.6 million player option with the Lakers for the 2025-26 season Sunday, bypassing the opportunity to become a free agent earlier this week.

Paul issued statements to multiple media outlets, first to ESPN, saying that James will monitor the Lakers’ offseason moves.

“He knows the Lakers are building for the future,” part of Paul’s statement said. “He understands that, but he values a realistic chance of winning it all. We are very appreciative of the partnership that we’ve had for eight years with [Lakers owner and governor] Jeanie [Buss] and [general manager] Rob [Pelinka] and consider the Lakers as a critical part of his career.

“We understand the difficulty in winning now while preparing for the future. We do want to evaluate what’s best for LeBron at this stage in his life and career. He wants to make every season he has left count, and the Lakers understand that, are supportive and want what’s best for him.”

Speculation about LeBron’s future spread throughout the league, but Paul later clarified to ESPN that there haven’t been trade talks regarding the elder James.

Bronny said that he and LeBron don’t discuss his dad’s future with the franchise.

“We don’t really talk about it much,” Bronny said. “But I think when stuff like that does come up, he just tells me to not worry about it, not even pay attention to it. Just lock into what you have going on right now. And that’s what’s gonna get me better and to keep me focused. It’s good that he tells me to not pay attention to that stuff.”

So the focus remains on Bronny’s growth and development

“Just creating space for myself,” he said of what he’s focused on since the season ended. “Just getting downhill more. Use my body as a big point guard, just trying to use my body as best as I can. Just shooting off the dribble, stuff like that. Everything. I’ve been working on everything. So trying to get better as a player overall.”

Second-round pick Adou Thiero, whom the Lakers selected with the No. 36 pick in the draft, won’t participate in the team’s summer league games. He’s in the final stages of his return-to-play process from a left knee ailment he dealt with at Arkansas. Thiero is expected to be fully cleared for training camp.

The roster includes undrafted free agents Eric Dixon (Villanova), RJ Davis (North Carolina), Arthur Kaluma (Texas) and T.Y. Johnson (UC Davis) among others. Cole Swider, who played for the South Bay Lakers in the G League last season, is one of several veterans on the roster, which includes DJ Steward and Darius Bazley.

The Lakers begin their summer schedule with three games in four days as part of the California Classic at the Chase Center in San Francisco. The Lakers face the Golden State Warriors on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. (ESPN2), square off with the Miami Heat on Sunday at 1:30 p.m. (NBATV) and face the San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday at 7 p.m. (ESPN)

The team will then head to Las Vegas to participate in the league-wide 2K26 Summer League, with their first game scheduled for July 10 at 5 p.m. PT (ESPN) against the Dallas Mavericks at the Thomas & Mack Center.

The Lakers’ summer league team will be coached by assistant coach Beau Levesque in the California Classic and then by assistant coach Lindsey Harding in the Las Vegas games.

Lakers add Deandre Ayton in free agency, securing coveted big man

Khobi Price — Wed, 02 Jul 2025 21:47:38 +0000

The Lakers entered the offseason with a dearth of centers – a reality General Manager Rob Pelinka publicly acknowledged multiple times over the last few months.

And a few days into free agency, the Lakers grabbed arguably the top big man available on the market.

The Lakers came to terms on contract with Deandre Ayton on Wednesday, filling the team’s biggest need since trading Anthony Davis to the Dallas Mavericks as part of the trade that brought Luka Doncic to Los Angeles.

NBA Insider Chris Haynes first reported the pending signing.

Ayton wasn’t originally expected to be a free agent, but was available after agreeing to a contract buyout with the Portland Trail Blazers last Sunday.

He cleared waivers on Wednesday, and will be able to officially sign with the Lakers after the free-agency moratorium period ends Sunday.

The Lakers will sign Ayton to a two-year, $16.6 million deal, which was first reported by NBA insider Jake Fischer, with a player option for the 2026-27 season. His 2025-26 salary with the Lakers is expected to be for around $8.2 million, which is the remainder of the $14.1 million non-taxpayer mid-level exception they entered free agency with. The Lakers will sign 23-year-old wing Jake LaRavia with the other portion of their mid-level exception for 2025-26 as part of the two-year, $12 million contract they’ll sign him to.

The 7-foot, 250-pound Ayton was slated to have a $35.6 million salary for 2025-26 as the final season of the four-year, $132.9 million contract he returned to the Phoenix Suns on during the 2022 offseason. He gave up $10 million of his salary in his buyout with Portland, which came to fruition after the Trail Blazers weren’t able to pull off a trade including Ayton, according to USA Today’s HoopsHype.

Ayton, who will turn 27 later this month, has been a polarizing player since being the No. 1 pick in the 2018 NBA Draft despite his statistical productivity.

Ayton is one of 12 players to average a points-rebounds double-double since he came into the league (minimum 300 games played), along with: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Joel Embiid, Davis, Nikola Jokic, Karl-Anthony Towns, Nikola Vucevic, Domantas Sabonis, Jonas Valanciunas, Rudy Gobert, Clint Capela and Andre Drummond.

Antetokounmpo, Ayton, Gobert and Vucevic are the only four players to average points-rebounds double-doubles in each of the last seven seasons.

But Ayton’s drawbacks, mainly perceived inconsistencies regarding his effort and team buy-in, have led to his first two NBA teams – first the Phoenix Suns and now the Trail Blazers – to move on from him despite his talent.

Ayton averaged 16.7 points (59.7% shooting) and 10.4 rebounds in his five seasons in Phoenix. A 2018-19 All-Rookie first-team honoree, Ayton looked to be a part of the Suns’ long-term future after being a critical part of their run to the 2021 NBA Finals.

But the Suns traded him to the Trail Blazers in September 2023 as part of the three-team deal that sent perennial All-Star guard Damian Lillard to the Milwaukee Bucks.

Ayton played only 40 games for the Trail Blazers in 2024-25, the second fewest of his career, and played in just 95 out of a possible 164 regular-season games over the past two seasons. He averaged 15.7 points (56.9% shooting) and 10.2 rebounds in two years with Portland, including 14.4 points (56.6% shooting) and 10.2 rebounds in 2024-25.

ESPN reported that Ayton and his representatives approached the Blazers about the buyout, adding that Ayton wants to play in a “winning situation.”

Enter the opportunistic Lakers, who are coming off a 50-win season as the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference before falling to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of the playoffs, in part, because of their lack of reliable big-man play – a need they’re hopeful Ayton will fulfill.

Ayton is a lob threat, a good rebounder, a strong finisher at or near the rim and is a reliable midrange shooter, especially for a big man. He’s been a credible rim protector throughout his career and is more switchable/agile on the perimeter defensively than he’s been given credit for. Ayton has also been reliable in the post offensively, though his post-up frequency and efficiency decreased significantly in Portland.

The most engaged version of Ayton could be the athletic, rim-oriented big man the Lakers were looking to pair alongside Doncic, while also being able to contribute in other areas.

Whether the Lakers consistently get that version of Ayton will determine the success of this pending signing.

Lakers’ Dalton Knecht reflects on rookie season, goals for summer league

Khobi Price — Tue, 01 Jul 2025 19:26:15 +0000

HERMOSA BEACH — It was appropriate that Dalton Knecht’s meet-and-greet as part of his partnership with El Pollo Loco happened when it did.

Because it was exactly a year ago to the date from last Thursday that the Lakers used the No. 17 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft to select Knecht.

So as Knecht, wearing a salmon-colored Gallery Dept. zip-up hoodie over a plain black t-shirt and black shorts, walked over to a shaded table next to El Pollo Loco’s first food truck debuting new menu items (a creamy chipotle quesadilla and salsa verde quesadilla) with a long line of fans sprawled throughout the Hermosa Beach Pier Plaza waiting to meet him, he had an opportunity to reflect.

“That’s crazy,” Knecht told the Southern California News Group. “Quick year. Quick year.”

A quick but full year, with Knecht taking advantage of the off-the-court opportunities that have come his way since joining the Lakers.

Knecht is El Pollo Loco’s first athlete partner – a partnership, Knecht told the SCNG, that came after he was recommended to the fire-grilled chicken restaurant when asking for food spots in Southern California.

He also has a partnership with Lemon Daddy, with the 24-year-old Knecht being featured on billboards for the online legal company spread throughout Southern California. His partnership with El Pollo Loco also includes a commercial that debuted on Monday.

But the scenic and welcoming environment Knecht walked into didn’t take away from basketball being the priority – evident by his hair still being damp while speaking with the SCNG after coming from a workout at the Lakers’ El Segundo practice facility.

“Went by kind of quick,” Knecht said of his rookie season. “But also at the same time, it was a good learning lesson. Got to learn from a lot of good people. It was a dream come true just playing and being in the NBA.”

Knecht’s dream involved a variety of twists and turns.

He was in the team’s Day One rotation, initially as a reserve before temporarily being placed into the starting lineup in mid-November, leading to his best stretch of play: 14.2 points per game (47.9% shooting, 40% from 3-point range) and 5.0 rebounds over 13 games.

This included scoring a career-high 37 points in a Nov. 19 victory over the Utah Jazz, when he tied an NBA rookie record by making nine 3-point shots on 12 attempts.

Adversity arose for Knecht when his playing time decreased, especially in January, before being included in the trade package for Charlotte Hornets center Mark Williams. The deal was rescinded by the Lakers a few days later after the team said Williams failed the team’s physical, resulting in Knecht rejoining the team. His playing time didn’t come as consistently once he rejoined the Lakers, and he was out of the main rotation by the end of the season.

Knecht averaged 9.1 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.6 3-point field goals while shooting (37.6% from behind the arc in 78 games as a rookie.

“After the season we had a talk and stuff like that,” Knecht said of his conversations with Lakers coach JJ Redick. “And we’ve been doing a workout. We’ve got lunch and stuff. Just talking and getting to know each other more and then being able to communicate with each other.

“That’s the most important thing. Then, obviously, JJ is a great shooter and we’ve just been doing shooting drills and stuff like that. It’s good just getting to the gym with your head coach. Learn from him, because he’s a great shooter as well.”

Knecht will play for the Lakers’ summer league team for the second consecutive season on a squad that’s expected to feature fellow 2024 draftee Bronny James, 2025 second-round pick Adou Thiero and former Villanova star Eric Dixon, who recently signed a two-way contract with the Lakers as an undrafted free agent.

“Just showing what I can do,” Knecht said of summer league. “Feel like I kind of showed a little bit throughout my rookie year, but just keep building on top of that.”

Lakers add Jake LaRavia, lose Dorian Finney-Smith to Rockets as free agency begins

Khobi Price — Mon, 30 Jun 2025 23:08:36 +0000

The Lakers opened free agency on Monday not by adding the center General Manager Rob Pelinka said is a priority for the franchise this offseason, but by quickly finding a replacement for their most significant departure.

The team agreed to terms with Jake LaRavia on a two-year, $12 million contract that can be signed after the free agency moratorium period ends on Sunday.

“Hope Lakers fans [are] as excited as I am,” LaRavia posted on his Instagram story on Monday night, “let’s work.”

LaRavia, the No. 19 pick in the 2022 draft out of Wake Forest, has averaged 6.9 points (shooting 37% from 3-point range), 3.3 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 136 games.

He started his career with the Memphis Grizzlies (2022-25) before they traded him to Sacramento in February ahead of the trade deadline.

LaRavia was an inconsistent part of the Grizzlies’ rotation during the first 1½ seasons of his career. He averaged 7.3 points, 4.4 rebounds and 2.8 assists as a consistent part of Memphis’ rotation last season, playing in 47 of 51 games (20.9 minutes per game) before the Kings acquired him on Feb. 6 as part of a three-team trade involving the Washington Wizards. LaRavia played 19 games for the Kings before missing Sacramento’s final 10 regular-season games and the team’s play-in tournament loss to the Dallas Mavericks because of a fractured left thumb he suffered on March 25.

The Grizzlies declined the fourth-year team option for 2025-26 on the rookie-scale contract LaRavia signed with Memphis after being drafted, leading to him becoming an unrestricted free agent this summer and eventually landing with the Lakers.

The 6-foot-8, 235-pound LaRavia, who turns 24 in November, has shown flashes as a reliable catch-and-shoot threat from behind the arc and a quick decision-maker. He shot 43.9% on catch-and-shoot 3-point attempts in 2024-25, the 19th-best mark in the league among the 249 players who attempted at least 100 catch-and-shoot looks from behind the arc.

LaRavia has been a strong offensive rebounder for his position and a versatile team defender, mainly guarding either forward position. He’s improved as a finisher at the rim after early career struggles, shooting a career-high 63.8% within five feet of the rim in 2024-25. Defensively, LaRavia is disruptive with strong passing lane defense and a knack for getting steals.

LaRavia’s agreement, which was first reported by ESPN, came shortly after it became known that the Lakers will lose one of their more reliable players from the 2024-25 season in free agency.

Dorian Finney-Smith agreed to a four-year, $53 million contract with the Houston Rockets shortly after teams were able to legally negotiate with upcoming free agents beginning on Monday afternoon.

His departure created a significant vacancy in the Lakers’ wing rotation that the team is hoping LaRavia can fill.

Finney-Smith declined his $15.4 million player option for 2025-26 over the weekend, making him an unrestricted free agent on Monday.

He had been been eligible for a contract extension since mid-February. Finney-Smith, who turned 32 in May, was seeking a long-term deal that didn’t appear to fit the Lakers’ plans.

Finney-Smith’s departure gave the Lakers access to the full $14.1 million non-taxpayer mid-level exception compared to the $5.7 million taxpayer mid-level exception they were expected to have coming into the offseason before it became clear that Finney-Smith wasn’t going to return to Los Angeles.

The Lakers will use a portion of the mid-level exception to sign LaRavia, according to ESPN, hard-capping them at the first apron threshold of $195.9 million. They have $8.2 million of their mid-level exception remaining in addition to their $5.1 million bi-annual exception, and are about $13.9 million away from the first apron.

In Finney-Smith, the Lakers are losing a reliable 3-and-D forward with a strong locker room presence. He’s also been one of Luka Doncic’s favorite teammates dating to their time together with the Dallas Mavericks.

The Lakers’ acquisition of Finney-Smith was one of the pivotal parts of their 2024-25 season, with the most significant being trading for Doncic six weeks after Finney-Smith. They were 18-13 before trading for Finney-Smith and went 29-14 in the 43 regular-season games in which Finney-Smith played.

Even though his season-long averages for the Lakers didn’t stand out (7.9 points – 44.2% shooting overall; 39.8% from 3-point range, 3.6 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 28.8 minutes), the impact of his versatility was felt immediately.

“He’s a worker, he’s a pro,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said of Finney-Smith during the 2024-25 season. “You can’t have enough Dorian Finney-Smiths on your team.”

Finney-Smith was crucial for the success of the Lakers’ center-less lineups, guarding up and down the positional spectrum and providing spacing for the Lakers’ primary ball-handlers. His value was reflected in having the team’s second-best season-long individual plus/minus per game of plus-6.2, behind only Doncic at plus-6.3.

The Lakers acquired Finney-Smith and Shake Milton from the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for D’Angelo Russell, Maxwell Lewis and three second-round draft picks in a Dec. 29 trade. Finney-Smith had surgery earlier in June to address left ankle ailments, but he is expected to participate when training camp starts in the fall.

LeBron James picks up $52.6M player option with Lakers for 23rd NBA season

Khobi Price — Sun, 29 Jun 2025 16:03:33 +0000

LeBron James will opt into his $52.6 million player option with the Lakers for the 2025-26 season, bypassing the opportunity to become a free agent this week.

James, the league’s all-time leading scorer who turns 41 in December and will enter an unprecedented 23rd NBA season – breaking a tie with Vince Carter for the most NBA seasons played – had until Sunday at 2 p.m. PT to decide on the option in his contract as part of the two-year, $101.4 million contract he signed with the Lakers last summer.

The decision, which was first reported by ESPN, came after James averaged 24.4 points while shooting 51.3% from the field (37.6% from 3-point range) to go with 8.2 assists, 7.8 rebounds and 1 steal per game in 70 regular-season games.

He was named to a record-extending 21st All-NBA team, continuing to raise the bar for players in the latter stages of their career.

James has publicly expressed doubt about how much longer he’ll play over the last couple of years when asked about potentially retiring.

With 1,562 regular-season games played, James is 50 games away from breaking Hall of Famer Robert Parish’s record for the regular-season games (1,611) in league history.

“I don’t know, I don’t have an answer to that,” James responded after the Lakers’ season ended with the first-round playoff exit to the Minnesota Timberwolves when asked how many more seasons he’ll play. “Something [I’ll] sit down with my family, my wife and my support group and kind of just talk through it and see what happens. And just have a conversation with myself on how long I want to continue to play.”

Comments made to ESPN on Sunday by James’ agent, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul, made it less clear how much of his future will be with the Lakers.

“LeBron wants to compete for a championship,” Paul told ESPN. “He knows the Lakers are building for the future. He understands that, but he values a realistic chance of winning it all. We are very appreciative of the partnership that we’ve had for eight years with [Lakers owner and governor] Jeanie [Buss] and [general manager] Rob [Pelinka] and consider the Lakers as a critical part of his career.

James has a no-trade clause in his contract.

His oldest son, Bronny, was drafted by the Lakers in the second round of the 2024 NBA Draft.

They became the NBA’s first father-son duo in league history last season.

The elder James recently returned to on-court activities after suffering a sprained medial collateral ligament in his left knee during the Lakers’ first-round playoff loss to the Timberwolves.

Dorian Finney-Smith declined his $15.4 million player option for 2025-26 as part of the four-year, $55.6 million contract extension he signed with the Dallas Mavericks in February 2022 before being traded to the Brooklyn Nets the following year.

Finney-Smith will officially become an unrestricted free agent on Monday afternoon. He has also been eligible for a contract extension since mid-February. Finney-Smith returning to the Lakers is possible. He appears to be seeking a multi-year deal. Finney-Smith is eligible until Monday to sign a four-year, $90.2 million maximum contract extension with the Lakers, according to ESPN.

Teams can begin negotiating with all free agents Monday at 3 p.m. PT. Teams have been able to negotiate with upcoming free agents who finished the season on their roster since the day after the NBA Finals ended.

The Lakers’ acquisition of Finney-Smith was one of the pivotal parts of their 2024-25 season, with the most significant being trading for Luka Doncic six weeks after Finney-Smith.

They were 18-13 before trading for Finney-Smith. The Lakers went 29-14 in the 43 regular-season games in which Finney-Smith played.

Even though his season-long averages for the Lakers don’t stand out (7.9 points – 44.2% shooting; 39.8% from 3-point range, 3.6 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 28.8 minutes), the impact of his versatility was felt immediately.

“He’s a worker, he’s a pro,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said of Finney-Smith during the season. “You can’t have enough Dorian Finney-Smiths on your team.”

With James’ opt-in, Finney-Smith’s opt-out and Jordan Goodwin’s $2.3 million team option being picked up, the Lakers have 10 players signed to guaranteed deals for 2025-26, combining for around $173.2 million in salary.

They will have access to the $14.1 million non-taxpayer, mid-level exception entering free agency if Finney-Smith doesn’t extend his contract or re-sign with the franchise.

The Lakers could use the mid-level exception to sign a free agent seeking a significant salary, split the exception up to sign multiple free agents or take on more salary in a trade and absorb the extra money into whatever they have left of the exception if they don’t use all of it beforehand.

They would be hard-capped at the first apron threshold ($195.9 million) for 2025-26 if they use more than $5.7 million of the $14.1 million non-taxpayer mid-level exception.

Lakers sign Villanova star Eric Dixon to two-way contract

Khobi Price — Fri, 27 Jun 2025 04:34:45 +0000

The Lakers have signed former Villanova star Eric Dixon to two-way contract, his agency CSE Talent announced on Thursday night.

Dixon, a 6-foot-8, 255-pound forward, signed with the Lakers shortly after going undrafted.

The Lakers selected Arkansas forward Adou Thiero with the No. 36 pick after twice trading up in the second round on Thursday.

The 24-year-old Dixon led the NCAA in scoring last season (23.3 points per game) to go with 5.1 rebounds as a sixth-year player, earning third-team All-American honors and being named first-team All-Big East.

He shot 45.1% from the field and 40.7% from 3-point range (7.2 attempts per game) during the 2024-25 season with Villanova, where he spent his entire college career.

Dixon, who redshirted as a true freshman in 2019-20, finished his college career as Villanova’s all-time leading scorer (2,314 points), breaking Kerry Kittles’ 29-year-old program record of 2,243 points in an April 1 victory over Colorado.

He also played the most games in program history (162).

In a mock draft that was published on Thursday that projected Dixon to be picked in the middle of the second round, ESPN NBA draft analyst Jonathan Givony wrote: “Dixon is a wide-bodied power forward who had a wildly productive season, leading the nation in scoring as a sixth-year senior. He’s making an obvious leap as a shooter; his 6-foot-11½ wingspan, average physical traits and inconsistent defensive impact are limiting factors; scoring prolifically from the perimeter at 259 pounds this season, Dixon worked himself from a reluctant shooter into the most dynamic shooting big man in the country over the course of his college career. His ability to rediscover some of the physicality and toughness he demonstrated earlier in his career as a rebounder and defender in a more minor role would be highly beneficial in carving out a post in the NBA.”