Speaking with reporters after a 124-136 win over the Memphis Grizzlies, James said that he will prioritize his long-term health over the Lakers’ seeding.

“I got to be smart with it,” James said via ESPN. “If I’m not healthy, or [anywhere] close to being healthy, then it’s not good for our ballclub anyway. It’s not good for me.”

James pointed out the recent game against the Milwaukee Bucks, which he decided to sit out while dealing with an ankle injury. He said that he would have probably played in that game if he hadn’t had a long-term picture in mind.

According to James, he is being “very strategic” when deciding on whether to play or to sit out a certain game.

“Obviously, understanding and seeing how my ankle and my foot is feeling. But just being very smart about it, obviously. We are where we are, but our health has always been the most important for our ballclub,” he added.

The Lakers are currently on a five-game winning streak that alleviated some concerns that they might drop out of the play-in tournament. They are currently sitting at No. 9 in the standings with a 41-32 record, having 2.5 games in hand over the Golden State Warriors and 3.5 games over the Houston Rockets, who are outside looking in. The LA team is also just 2.5 games behind the sixth-seeded Dallas Mavericks, who hold the first automatic playoff spot.

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According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Ramona Shelburne, the Warriors’ owner, Joe Lacob, personally reached out to Lakers’ owner Jeanie Buss in order to ask about James’ availability. James has previously expressed frustration over the state of the Lakers’ roster, prompting rumors about him wanting to leave the franchise.

Buss reportedly told Lacob that the Lakers weren’t interested in trading James but still referred him to James and his agent, Rich Paul. If James wanted out, it is believed that she wouldn’t stand in the way.

However, Paul ended up delivering the same answer: James doesn’t want to move and is happy to remain with the Lakers.

Wojnarowski and Shelburne add that Warriors’ forward Draymond Green played a significant role in the attempt to bring James to Golden State. Green was the one who encouraged Lacob to make the call while also trying to get Paul, who is also his agent, to help him recruit James to the Lakers.

It wouldn’t be surprising if the Warriors come knocking on James’ doors in the offseason. The 39-year-old player will become a free agent in the summer, and although he has a player option, he could entertain offers from other teams if the Lakers’ season ends in a disappointment.

Both the Warriors and the Lakers ended up staying pat during the trade deadline. The Warriors are currently sitting at No. 10 in the Western Conference with a 26-25 record. The Lakers are one spot ahead with a 29-26 record.

The post Warriors Attempted to Trade for LeBron James appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Vincent dealt with knee issues for most of the season and spent the past two months rehabbing. His therapy included platelet-rich plasma injections as he attempted to avoid surgery.

The 27-year-old player attempted a comeback last week against the Chicago Bulls but managed to play only 14 minutes before being forced to exit the game.

The Lakers signed Vincent to a three-year, $33 million contract in the offseason, hoping the move will solidify their backcourt. He was coming off a career year that saw him make an NBA Finals run with the Miami Heat and averaging 12.7 points and 3.5 assists in the postseason. 

However, the injuries ended up limiting Vincent to just five games as a Laker. He is averaging 5.4 points, 1.0 rebounds, and 3.0 assists in 2023-24.

The news is a tough blow for the Lakers, who have endured a rough stretch recently following a promising start of the season. The LA team is currently sitting at No. 9 in the Western Conference with a 16-15 record.

The post Lakers’ Gabe Vincent to Have Knee Surgery, Will Miss 6-8 Weeks appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

In the Eastern Conference part of the bracket, the Pacers beat the favored Boston Celtics to set up a clash against the Bucks, who easily handled the New York Knicks in the quarterfinals.

The Western Conference semifinals game will see the Pelicans face the Lakers. The Pelicans beat the Sacramento Kings, while the Lakers overcame the Phoenix Suns in a thrilling contest.

The semifinal matches will be played at Las Vegas ‘Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena on December 7. The Pacers and the Bucks play their game at 5:00 PM ET, and the Pelicans meet the Lakers at 9:00 PM ET. The championship game will also take place two days later, also in Las Vegas.

The winner of the NBA In-Season Tournament will get to lift the NBA Cup trophy. Also, every player on the team’s roster will receive a $500,000 check.

Out of the four teams in the semifinals, the Bucks own the best record at 15-6 and have won eight of their last 10 games. The Lakers are 13-9, enough for the fourth spot on the Western Conference standings. The Pacers are 11-8, while the Pelicans own a 12-10 record.

The post NBA In-Season Tournament Semifinals to Feature Pacers vs. Bucs, Pelicans vs. Lakers appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

The agreement is still to be announced by the Lakers, but Vanderbilt’s agency, Klutch Sports, already confirmed the news to The Athletic’s Shams Charania. The 24-year-old defensive standout will get $48 million fully guaranteed as part of the extension. The fourth year is reportedly a player option.

Vanderbilt landed with the Lakers ahead of last season’s trade deadline in a deal that sent Russell Westbrook to the Utah Jazz. The Kentucky product was almost immediately trusted with a place in the starting five and never looked back.

Vanderbilt emerged as one of the Lakers’ best defensive players and would often take the responsibility to guard the opponents’ most lethal offensive threat. The former second-round pick averaged 7.2 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 1.2 steals since coming to LA. He had a smaller role during the team’s playoff run but still ended up starting 13 games in the postseason.

Besides Vanderbilt, the Lakers also locked in four of their other players to new deals. Superstar Anthony Davis received a new max deal, guard D’Angelo Russell re-signed with the team after his contract expired, while Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura got extensions.

The post Lakers Ink Forward Jarred Vanderbilt to 4-Year, $48 Million Extension appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

The Suns already informed Paul that they intend to either trade him or waive him this offseason. If they can’t find a trade partner, the team is considering multiple scenarios.

One is to waive Paul and stretch the remaining $15 million guaranteed on his contract over several years, which would make the 38-year-old a free agent. The second option is to waive him and re-sign him to a smaller contract.

The Lakers would like to get Paul if he ends up being waived in the first scenario. The move would reunite him with his good friend LeBron James and give the Lakers a true point guard and a proven playmaker. However, it is unlikely that the LA team would go beyond handing Paul more than a veterans’ minimum.

Chris Paul is coming off one of his worst seasons as a pro. He finished the 2022-23 campaign averaging a career-low 13.9 points per game while adding 4.3 rebounds and 8.9 assists. Paul also struggled to stay healthy, especially in the postseason, where he only played seven games as the Suns were bounced in the second round by the eventual champions Denver Nuggets.

The post Lakers Have a “Strong” Interest in Veteran PG Chris Paul appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

James is expected to gather several opinions on the best way to handle the injury before deciding on the next step. In case he does get surgery, he would be expected to return in time for the start of training camp for the 2023-24 NBA season.

James tore the tendon in his right foot in February during the 108-111 win over the Dallas Mavericks. At the time, he was reportedly recommended to have the procedure that would end his season. Instead, the 38-year-old player opted for rehabbing and ended up missing only four weeks before returning to court.

While James performed at a high level after returning, there is no doubt that the injury had some impact on his game. He helped the Lakers embark on a run that saw them clinch a playoff spot and reach the NBA Western Conference Finals, where they were swept in four games by the Denver Nuggets. James averaged 24.5 points, 9.9 rebounds, and 6.5 assists during the postseason.

Shortly after the Lakers exited the playoffs, James shocked the NBA world by saying that he would take some time to think about his future and that retiring from professional basketball wasn’t out of the question. However, sources close to the player say that the statement was made in the heat of the moment and that James will almost certainly return for the 2023-24 campaign.

The post Lakers’ Superstar LeBron James Might Need Foot Surgery This Offseason appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

This will be the first trip to the NBA Finals for the Nuggets. They previously lost four Western Conference Finals series, with three of those losses coming against the Lakers.

Nikola Jokic led the Nuggets with 30 points, 14 rebounds, and 13 assists triple-double. This was Jokic’s eighth triple-double in the 2023 NBA Playoffs which is the most by any player in a single postseason run in NBA history. The 28-year-old Serbian ended up receiving the Western Conference Finals MVP award, named after Lakers’ legend Magic Johnson, for his stellar performance.

Entering Game 4 with their backs against the wall, the Lakers actually looked like they could extend the series. They led by 15 points at the half and were the better team throughout the first two quarters.

However, the Lakers collapsed in the third quarter, losing their entire lead, and found themselves trailing five points ahead of the final period. The LA team made one final push to stay alive but couldn’t find enough offense to turn things around.

The Lakers’ superstar LeBron James had a chance to send the game to overtime in the final seconds but had his shot blocked.

The Denver Nuggets will now get some well-deserved rest while they await to see who will come out from the East. The Miami Heat currently hold a 3-0 lead over the Boston Celtics in Eastern Conference Finals.

The post Nuggets Sweep the Lakers, Advance to the NBA Finals appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

In Los Angeles, Thompson will reunite with his former Cleveland Cavaliers teammate, LeBron James. The duo won an NBA title with the Cavs in 2016.

In order to add Thompson to their roster, the Lakers decided to waive guard Davon Reed. The Miami Hurricanes product played 27 minutes and scored eight points in total across eight games since joining the Lakers in February.

Tristan Thompson joins the Lakers after sitting out the entire 2022-23 regular season. Thompson suited up with three teams – Sacramento Kings, Indiana Pacers, and Chicago Bulls – in 2021-22 and averaged 6.0 points and 5.1 rebounds in a backup role.

It is highly unlikely that the Lakers are counting on Thompson to play a notable role in the playoffs. However, the 32-year-old is a good safety net in case of an unexpected injury and could bring some occasional energy off the bench.

The Los Angeles Lakers finished the regular season as the seventh seed in the West with a 43-39 record. They are facing the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first game of the Play-In tournament. 

The post Veteran Center Tristan Thompson Signs With the Los Angeles Lakers appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

James’ return comes after a 13-game absence due to a torn tendon in his right foot. While two doctors recommended that the Lakers star undergoes surgery to repair the tendon, the doctor who he confided in most advised against this notion.

“Obviously, the rhythm is the most important,” James said of his performance following the Bulls’ game. “”I had a couple of drives and the ball got away from me. A couple of shots didn’t feel as good as before, obviously. But I was out for four weeks, so between that and the wind, just trying to get those things back leading to the final stretch of the season.”

Fellow Lakers star Anthony Davis expressed his joy at James’ return, stating that this will help the Lakers to rediscover their form in the final games of the regular season.

The post LeBron James Returns in Loss to Bulls appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Speaking with reporters after a 124-136 win over the Memphis Grizzlies, James said that he will prioritize his long-term health over the Lakers’ seeding.

“I got to be smart with it,” James said via ESPN. “If I’m not healthy, or [anywhere] close to being healthy, then it’s not good for our ballclub anyway. It’s not good for me.”

James pointed out the recent game against the Milwaukee Bucks, which he decided to sit out while dealing with an ankle injury. He said that he would have probably played in that game if he hadn’t had a long-term picture in mind.

According to James, he is being “very strategic” when deciding on whether to play or to sit out a certain game.

“Obviously, understanding and seeing how my ankle and my foot is feeling. But just being very smart about it, obviously. We are where we are, but our health has always been the most important for our ballclub,” he added.

The Lakers are currently on a five-game winning streak that alleviated some concerns that they might drop out of the play-in tournament. They are currently sitting at No. 9 in the standings with a 41-32 record, having 2.5 games in hand over the Golden State Warriors and 3.5 games over the Houston Rockets, who are outside looking in. The LA team is also just 2.5 games behind the sixth-seeded Dallas Mavericks, who hold the first automatic playoff spot.

The post LeBron James is Prioritizing Long-Term Health Over Lakers’ Seeding appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Ramona Shelburne, the Warriors’ owner, Joe Lacob, personally reached out to Lakers’ owner Jeanie Buss in order to ask about James’ availability. James has previously expressed frustration over the state of the Lakers’ roster, prompting rumors about him wanting to leave the franchise.

Buss reportedly told Lacob that the Lakers weren’t interested in trading James but still referred him to James and his agent, Rich Paul. If James wanted out, it is believed that she wouldn’t stand in the way.

However, Paul ended up delivering the same answer: James doesn’t want to move and is happy to remain with the Lakers.

Wojnarowski and Shelburne add that Warriors’ forward Draymond Green played a significant role in the attempt to bring James to Golden State. Green was the one who encouraged Lacob to make the call while also trying to get Paul, who is also his agent, to help him recruit James to the Lakers.

It wouldn’t be surprising if the Warriors come knocking on James’ doors in the offseason. The 39-year-old player will become a free agent in the summer, and although he has a player option, he could entertain offers from other teams if the Lakers’ season ends in a disappointment.

Both the Warriors and the Lakers ended up staying pat during the trade deadline. The Warriors are currently sitting at No. 10 in the Western Conference with a 26-25 record. The Lakers are one spot ahead with a 29-26 record.

The post Warriors Attempted to Trade for LeBron James appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Vincent dealt with knee issues for most of the season and spent the past two months rehabbing. His therapy included platelet-rich plasma injections as he attempted to avoid surgery.

The 27-year-old player attempted a comeback last week against the Chicago Bulls but managed to play only 14 minutes before being forced to exit the game.

The Lakers signed Vincent to a three-year, $33 million contract in the offseason, hoping the move will solidify their backcourt. He was coming off a career year that saw him make an NBA Finals run with the Miami Heat and averaging 12.7 points and 3.5 assists in the postseason. 

However, the injuries ended up limiting Vincent to just five games as a Laker. He is averaging 5.4 points, 1.0 rebounds, and 3.0 assists in 2023-24.

The news is a tough blow for the Lakers, who have endured a rough stretch recently following a promising start of the season. The LA team is currently sitting at No. 9 in the Western Conference with a 16-15 record.

The post Lakers’ Gabe Vincent to Have Knee Surgery, Will Miss 6-8 Weeks appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

In the Eastern Conference part of the bracket, the Pacers beat the favored Boston Celtics to set up a clash against the Bucks, who easily handled the New York Knicks in the quarterfinals.

The Western Conference semifinals game will see the Pelicans face the Lakers. The Pelicans beat the Sacramento Kings, while the Lakers overcame the Phoenix Suns in a thrilling contest.

The semifinal matches will be played at Las Vegas ‘Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena on December 7. The Pacers and the Bucks play their game at 5:00 PM ET, and the Pelicans meet the Lakers at 9:00 PM ET. The championship game will also take place two days later, also in Las Vegas.

The winner of the NBA In-Season Tournament will get to lift the NBA Cup trophy. Also, every player on the team’s roster will receive a $500,000 check.

Out of the four teams in the semifinals, the Bucks own the best record at 15-6 and have won eight of their last 10 games. The Lakers are 13-9, enough for the fourth spot on the Western Conference standings. The Pacers are 11-8, while the Pelicans own a 12-10 record.

The post NBA In-Season Tournament Semifinals to Feature Pacers vs. Bucs, Pelicans vs. Lakers appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

The agreement is still to be announced by the Lakers, but Vanderbilt’s agency, Klutch Sports, already confirmed the news to The Athletic’s Shams Charania. The 24-year-old defensive standout will get $48 million fully guaranteed as part of the extension. The fourth year is reportedly a player option.

Vanderbilt landed with the Lakers ahead of last season’s trade deadline in a deal that sent Russell Westbrook to the Utah Jazz. The Kentucky product was almost immediately trusted with a place in the starting five and never looked back.

Vanderbilt emerged as one of the Lakers’ best defensive players and would often take the responsibility to guard the opponents’ most lethal offensive threat. The former second-round pick averaged 7.2 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 1.2 steals since coming to LA. He had a smaller role during the team’s playoff run but still ended up starting 13 games in the postseason.

Besides Vanderbilt, the Lakers also locked in four of their other players to new deals. Superstar Anthony Davis received a new max deal, guard D’Angelo Russell re-signed with the team after his contract expired, while Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura got extensions.

The post Lakers Ink Forward Jarred Vanderbilt to 4-Year, $48 Million Extension appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

The Suns already informed Paul that they intend to either trade him or waive him this offseason. If they can’t find a trade partner, the team is considering multiple scenarios.

One is to waive Paul and stretch the remaining $15 million guaranteed on his contract over several years, which would make the 38-year-old a free agent. The second option is to waive him and re-sign him to a smaller contract.

The Lakers would like to get Paul if he ends up being waived in the first scenario. The move would reunite him with his good friend LeBron James and give the Lakers a true point guard and a proven playmaker. However, it is unlikely that the LA team would go beyond handing Paul more than a veterans’ minimum.

Chris Paul is coming off one of his worst seasons as a pro. He finished the 2022-23 campaign averaging a career-low 13.9 points per game while adding 4.3 rebounds and 8.9 assists. Paul also struggled to stay healthy, especially in the postseason, where he only played seven games as the Suns were bounced in the second round by the eventual champions Denver Nuggets.

The post Lakers Have a “Strong” Interest in Veteran PG Chris Paul appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

James is expected to gather several opinions on the best way to handle the injury before deciding on the next step. In case he does get surgery, he would be expected to return in time for the start of training camp for the 2023-24 NBA season.

James tore the tendon in his right foot in February during the 108-111 win over the Dallas Mavericks. At the time, he was reportedly recommended to have the procedure that would end his season. Instead, the 38-year-old player opted for rehabbing and ended up missing only four weeks before returning to court.

While James performed at a high level after returning, there is no doubt that the injury had some impact on his game. He helped the Lakers embark on a run that saw them clinch a playoff spot and reach the NBA Western Conference Finals, where they were swept in four games by the Denver Nuggets. James averaged 24.5 points, 9.9 rebounds, and 6.5 assists during the postseason.

Shortly after the Lakers exited the playoffs, James shocked the NBA world by saying that he would take some time to think about his future and that retiring from professional basketball wasn’t out of the question. However, sources close to the player say that the statement was made in the heat of the moment and that James will almost certainly return for the 2023-24 campaign.

The post Lakers’ Superstar LeBron James Might Need Foot Surgery This Offseason appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

This will be the first trip to the NBA Finals for the Nuggets. They previously lost four Western Conference Finals series, with three of those losses coming against the Lakers.

Nikola Jokic led the Nuggets with 30 points, 14 rebounds, and 13 assists triple-double. This was Jokic’s eighth triple-double in the 2023 NBA Playoffs which is the most by any player in a single postseason run in NBA history. The 28-year-old Serbian ended up receiving the Western Conference Finals MVP award, named after Lakers’ legend Magic Johnson, for his stellar performance.

Entering Game 4 with their backs against the wall, the Lakers actually looked like they could extend the series. They led by 15 points at the half and were the better team throughout the first two quarters.

However, the Lakers collapsed in the third quarter, losing their entire lead, and found themselves trailing five points ahead of the final period. The LA team made one final push to stay alive but couldn’t find enough offense to turn things around.

The Lakers’ superstar LeBron James had a chance to send the game to overtime in the final seconds but had his shot blocked.

The Denver Nuggets will now get some well-deserved rest while they await to see who will come out from the East. The Miami Heat currently hold a 3-0 lead over the Boston Celtics in Eastern Conference Finals.

The post Nuggets Sweep the Lakers, Advance to the NBA Finals appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

In Los Angeles, Thompson will reunite with his former Cleveland Cavaliers teammate, LeBron James. The duo won an NBA title with the Cavs in 2016.

In order to add Thompson to their roster, the Lakers decided to waive guard Davon Reed. The Miami Hurricanes product played 27 minutes and scored eight points in total across eight games since joining the Lakers in February.

Tristan Thompson joins the Lakers after sitting out the entire 2022-23 regular season. Thompson suited up with three teams – Sacramento Kings, Indiana Pacers, and Chicago Bulls – in 2021-22 and averaged 6.0 points and 5.1 rebounds in a backup role.

It is highly unlikely that the Lakers are counting on Thompson to play a notable role in the playoffs. However, the 32-year-old is a good safety net in case of an unexpected injury and could bring some occasional energy off the bench.

The Los Angeles Lakers finished the regular season as the seventh seed in the West with a 43-39 record. They are facing the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first game of the Play-In tournament. 

The post Veteran Center Tristan Thompson Signs With the Los Angeles Lakers appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

James’ return comes after a 13-game absence due to a torn tendon in his right foot. While two doctors recommended that the Lakers star undergoes surgery to repair the tendon, the doctor who he confided in most advised against this notion.

“Obviously, the rhythm is the most important,” James said of his performance following the Bulls’ game. “”I had a couple of drives and the ball got away from me. A couple of shots didn’t feel as good as before, obviously. But I was out for four weeks, so between that and the wind, just trying to get those things back leading to the final stretch of the season.”

Fellow Lakers star Anthony Davis expressed his joy at James’ return, stating that this will help the Lakers to rediscover their form in the final games of the regular season.

The post LeBron James Returns in Loss to Bulls appeared first on yoursportspot.com.