Lakers

Leonard last played in January 2021, at which point he had season-ending shoulder and ankle surgeries. He has been sidelined for almost two years and recently ...

Making sense of the league’s scoring boom](https://theathletic.com/4069128/2023/01/09/making-sense-nba-scoring-boom/) If either center impresses, the Lakers can use a 10-day contract to sign them and test them out. [Thomas Bryant](https://theathletic.com/nba/player/thomas-bryant-dq4B2s0HiwRTR3cB/) and [Wenyen Gabriel](https://theathletic.com/nba/player/wenyen-gabriel-r8zgk7urDgmH0hNc/), which has left them thin up front in certain games. Leonard (39.0 percent career 3-point shooter) can both pick-and-pop and spot up beyond the arc. Leonard and Cousins, both of whom Los Angeles will work out on Friday, address needs as stretch-5s that can soak up minutes in the paint. - Leonard was suspended for one week and fined $50,000 in March 2021 after using an anti-Semitic slur on a live stream.

The Lakers are interested in adding a center to support Anthony Davis and Thomas Bryant.

[ National Basketball Association](/stories/nba/lebron-james-record-tracker-how-far-is-he-from-kareem-abdul-jabbar) [ National Basketball Association](/stories/nba/nba-stock-watch-l-a-teams-headed-in-different-directions) [ National Basketball Association](/stories/nba/nba-trade-rumors-tracker) [ National Basketball Association](/stories/nba/jimmy-butler-heat-set-nba-free-throw-record-beat-okc-112-111) [Sterling Brown](https://www.foxsports.com/nba/sterling-brown-player), who played for the [Dallas Mavericks](https://www.foxsports.com/nba/dallas-mavericks-team) during the 2021-22 season, signed a 10-day contract with the Lakers on Jan. Leonard was also recovering from an ankle injury that required surgery. They all can score at all three levels; they all can defend; they all can have good activity, good instincts. However, due to Bryant's emergence in the absence of Davis, Lakers head coach Darvin Ham has given serious thought to moving Davis back to the power forward position — where he has historically preferred playing — and starting Bryant at center. Leonard hasn't suited up for a team since he was suspended and fined $50,000 for his use of an antisemitic slur while live-streaming on Twitch. Unless Brown is signed to a second 10-day or is signed to a contract for the remainder of the season, the Lakers will have an open roster spot next week. So, yeah, that's something we'll definitely take a look at." [Anthony Davis](https://www.foxsports.com/nba/anthony-davis-player), [Thomas Bryant](https://www.foxsports.com/nba/thomas-bryant-player) and [Damian Jones](https://www.foxsports.com/nba/damian-jones-player).

It sure seems like your Los Angeles Lakers are not quite done making roster moves, even if those moves happen to be centered more around the fringes of ...

The Heat ultimately gave up a future second-round draft pick just to get off his contract later that season, shipping him out to the Oklahoma City Thunder, who subsequently waived the rest of Leonard's (insanely generous) $9.4 million contract. The seven-footer out of the University of Illinois only played in two games before requiring season-ending surgeries to his shoulder and ankle. [Shams Charania of The Athletic](https://twitter.com/ShamsCharania/status/1613662909300613120) that nine-year veteran center Meyers Leonard is going to audition for LA this Friday.

'Gets no respect': Mavs fume over refs, LeBron 'outclutched' by Luka as star equals MJ feat in 2OT epic.

At the end of the day they’re human. TNT commentators, though, believed James lost control of the ball and no foul was committed by Wood. “At the end of the day, that’s where I stand on it. With scores tied at 101-101, Lakers small forward Troy Brown Jr had a game-winning three attempt on the buzzer. Dinwiddie scored six of his 17 points in the second overtime Misses by James then one by Dallas’ Tim Hardaway Jr meant the game went to a second OT.

LeBron James and Lakers head coach Darvin Ham expressed their frustration with a no-call on Tim Hardaway Jr.'s defense of a potential game-winning 3 by Troy ...

But we were still watching it after the game, and it looked like a foul on his follow-through." "I have no comments on that," he said. But it just looked clear as day like it was a foul," Ham said. [LeBron James](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/1966/lebron-james) found Brown on the right wing for a potential game-winning 3 at the buzzer. in a foul mood Thursday night in the Lakers' eventual [119-115](/nba/game/_/gameId/401468785) double-overtime loss to the Mavs. "That's not my job to ref, and I'm not gonna sit here and decide who should have did what."

NBA Twitter was abuzz over the hectic ending to Thursday's Lakers versus Mavericks game in double overtime.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Luka Doncic hit tying 3-pointers in the final seconds of regulation and the first overtime, finishing with 35 points, 14 rebounds and 13 ...

James hit two free throws to put the Lakers up 108-105 late in the first overtime, but Doncic hit another tying 3-pointer, and Wood blocked James’ layup attempt shortly before the buzzer. Doncic calmly moved past a perimeter screen and drilled a tying 3-pointer for his first field goal of the fourth quarter. Doncic then hit the go-ahead layup midway through the second overtime. “I’m more tired now,” said Doncic, who rested for only 9 seconds in the final 40 minutes of play. “Anytime you’ve got (No.) 77 on the floor, you know there’s a chance.” Christian Wood added 24 points and 14 rebounds in the Mavs’ fourth straight win over the Lakers.

With a three-point lead, Ham decided he didn't want one of Dallas' many capable 3-point shooters to get an open look and opted to defend Luka straight up. That ...

Or was he not very confident in the Lakers' ability to make two free throws? Just to drive the point fully home, Luka went ahead and stuck another game-tying three with under a minute to play in the first overtime. Was Ham really confident in the guys he had defending? Well, Luka is the bull. And let's say Luka makes both (which would have been no guarantee; he had just missed two flagrant foul shots earlier in the quarter). "Felt confident in the five guys we had out there defending." [Lakers](https://www.cbssports.com/nba/teams/LAL/los-angeles-lakers/) had a three-point lead against the [Mavericks](https://www.cbssports.com/nba/teams/DAL/dallas-mavericks/), who had possession on a side out. Of course, who's to say one of the other Mavericks wouldn't have made the same shot if Ham had decided to double Luka. Doncic isn't a good 3-point shooter according to statistics, but when the game is on the line, you can throw those numbers out. That tied the game, and it was, again, a predictable outcome. "I'm kicking myself in the butt," Ham said. He hadn't registered a bucket since the 5:22 mark of the third quarter, over a 17-minute drought.

Luka Doncic ties the Mavericks with the Lakers at 108-108 in overtime with a 3-pointer. ByAP.

“I tried to get it up before they fouled.” Find a way to execute better.” Doncic calmly moved past a perimeter screen and drilled a tying 3-pointer for his first field goal of the fourth quarter. “I'm more tired now,” said Doncic, who rested for only 9 seconds in the final 40 minutes of play. [Tim Hardaway Jr](http://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/2528210/tim-hardaway-jr)., who had 22 points and eight rebounds. [Russell Westbrook](http://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/3468/russell-westbrook) scored a season-high 28 points and [LeBron James](http://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/1966/lebron-james) had 24 points, 16 rebounds and nine assists for the Lakers, who have lost two straight after a five-game winning streak.

Luka Doncic was hounded by Russell Westbrook for nearly the entire game, aggressively denying him the ball in a way that irked Mavericks owner Mark Cuban who ...

The result was one of the sloppier games of the season thus far, and one that needed two overtimes of controversy to resolve itself. There were periods of roughly six minutes each in the second and third quarters in which neither side went to the free-throw line (excluding a technical foul) despite the physicality remaining high for most of the game. [said](https://twitter.com/mcten/status/1613780569279827968) after the game. It was hardly the only controversial call to go against the Lakers, but in the grand scheme of things, you could argue that they still ultimately benefitted from the officiating. After inbounding the ball with a tied score and six seconds remaining, the double-teamed [LeBron James](/nba/players/400553/lebron-james/) swung the ball over to an open [Troy Brown Jr.](/nba/players/2938055/troy-brown-jr/), who geared up for a game-winning 3-pointer but was seemingly smacked in the process. "That's a f---ing foul," he [said](https://twitter.com/mcten/status/1613784450399350786), from across the locker room, as Brown was asked about the play in the post-game media scrum.

LeBron James thought the Los Angeles Lakers got a raw deal in their 119-115 double-overtime defeat to the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday night.

"It's a foul. No matter what [Brown] says, it's a f--king foul. "No, it's a f--king foul," he said, per ESPN's

Had Dallas forward Tim Hardaway Jr. committed a foul on Brown's potential game-winning shot just before the end of the fourth quarter against the Mavericks on ...

[is out of the lineup long](https://www.latimes.com/sports/lakers/story/2022-12-23/lakers-anthony-davis-out-indefinitely-stress-injury-right-foot) [ term](https://www.latimes.com/sports/lakers/story/2022-12-23/lakers-anthony-davis-out-indefinitely-stress-injury-right-foot) again. [Darvin Ham](https://www.latimes.com/sports/lakers/story/2022-12-11/los-angeles-lakers-coach-darvin-ham-saginaw-roots) for persuading Westbrook to accept and enjoy the sixth-man role. It’s tough to be patient when the future looks fuzzy and the only constant is change. One of his best teachers in that department has been Mavericks coach Jason Kidd, the former Lakers assistant who was James’ teammate on the 2008 U.S. “I think ever since we made the trade for AD to bring him here, our whole thing was about health. They were 21-21 at the same point last season, shortly before Anthony Davis injured his right foot and they took a nosedive after the All-Star break, which kept them out of the play-in. Westbrook’s production off the bench has been near-miraculous, and credit to coach “So, it’s almost like, who is in a good rhythm that night is going to be probably on the floor along with myself and Russ.” He seemed to lack his usual energy physically and emotionally, and he missed all six shots he took in the two overtime periods. “The one consistent thing that we have is a billion different lineups. Imagine that: For the Lakers, who have championships in their DNA, reaching 10th place or higher this season would be a major accomplishment. The cameras were rolling, ready to record Brown’s response.

This plan worked in 2020 after they won the NBA championship with LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Since winning that championship, the team leadership has ...

Since winning that championship, the team leadership has brought in players such as [Russell Westbrook](https://www.marca.com/en/basketball/nba/los-angeles-lakers/2023/01/10/63bcc36d22601d0c558b4619.html), Carmelo Anthony, or Patrick Beverley. This report is suggesting that the Lakers won't pursue players during trading season and will wait until the off-season to make fundamental changes to the roster. According to his inside information, the Lakers willl only go after players who can improve the team over the next three years or even more. This means that the Lakers will be willing to wait on an All-Star who still has at least three great years left in his career. [Los Angeles Lakers](https://www.marca.com/en/basketball/nba/los-angeles-lakers.html?intcmp=MENUPROD&s_kw=en-nba-los-angeles-lakers) have worried more about fixing the team with players who can cause an immediate effect. Their sole intention is to get the best possible players who can accompany LeBron James during the better years he has left in his career.

The Athletic puts Lakers undrafted guard as among best in 2021 draft class.

Reaves can handle the ball and pass, and this season, he's made his open shots (37.2 percent from 3, 89.1 percent from the line); he's also been very effective on midrange shots and floaters this season, shooting a scalding 62.3 percent on 2s as a result. picked up the 24-year-old. While this probably says more about his team than it does about Reaves, the second-year pro has also proven he's a keeper at this level. In recent memory, the Lakers' top draft picks have not panned out for many reasons, whether that's because L.A. Kyle Kuzma, a late first-round pick, was a vital member of the 2020 championship team. Reaves has earned a spot in the rotation, which is why The Atheltic's John Hollinger has Reaves as the best in his draft class.