Los Angeles Lakers

After missing the playoffs during a disappointing 2021-22 season, the Los Angeles Lakers are aiming to bounce back. They're preparing for the 2022-23 campaign with their star trio of LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook still intact.

Some of the complementary players around those three have changed over the offseason. But for the most part, the Lakers are coming back with the same core and hoping for better results.

What if it doesn't work out? What if Westbrook is traded at some point during the upcoming season? Which direction does Los Angeles go if it doesn't have success? Or what moves will it make if it does?

Although the 2022-23 season hasn't even started yet, it's not too early to start thinking about the long-term future for the Lakers. Especially because some of the players they've been linked to in trade rumors will be hitting the free-agent market next summer.

And it's quite possible Los Angeles will be targeting some of them, based on what a Western Conference executive recently told Frederick Ennette of Heavy.com.

“No matter what [the Lakers] do with trades or however they reconstruct this year, they are going to keep an eye on next summer," the executive told Ennette. "That is where they have a lot invested, being able to get another star-type player next summer.”

One of the biggest names who will be an unrestricted free agent next offseason is Kyrie Irving. The 30-year-old point guard has featured in a ton of trade rumors in recent months, yet he's heading into the 2022-23 season still a member of the Brooklyn Nets.

Even if Irving doesn't get dealt, he could be switching teams next summer. While it's possible the Lakers will have interest in him, that may not actually be their most likely free-agent signing.

“They’re going to look at Kyrie Irving, of course, but he is probably not their top choice," the executive told Ennette. "They will look at Jerami Grant, who they liked for a long time, same with Myles Turner. I think Andrew Wiggins would be a big prize there because he can play two ways.”

Grant and Wiggins wouldn't exactly be huge splashes. The 28-year-old Grant, who was traded from the Detroit Pistons to the Portland Trail Blazers in July, has never been an All-Star in his eight-year career, but he's improved in recent seasons. The 27-year-old Wiggins, also an eight-year NBA veteran, was a first-time All-Star last season while helping the Golden State Warriors win a championship.

Both of those players would be solid pieces for the Lakers roster. But Turner may be the most impactful potential addition.

The 26-year-old has been consistently strong for the Indiana Pacers in his seven-year NBA career and would provide a great boost for the Lakers in the post.

Last season, Turner averaged 12.9 points, 7.1 rebounds and 2.8 blocks in 42 games. He's missed some time because of injuries over the past two years, but the 6'11" center is a dominant force when healthy.

Turner could be a great complementary player to James and Davis, and he should be high up the Lakers' free-agent wish list for next offseason. But if they can't land Turner, Grant and/or Wiggins would also be solid targets.

DeMar DeRozan said he was "hellbent" on joining the Los Angeles Lakers last year before the team traded for Russell Westbrook.

DeRozan, who ultimately landed with the Chicago Bulls in a sign-and-trade deal, explained Thursday on The Old Man and The Three podcast (21:25 mark of video) the Lakers were the "only option" in his mind and he was "confused" by the Westbrook trade.

"To my knowledge, I thought it was a done deal," he said about his talks with L.A., later adding it was a "tough moment because in my mind I was going to be a Laker."

The Lakers possessed enough financial flexibility during the 2021 free-agent period to add one star alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis. DeRozan, a native of nearby Compton, California, was heavily rumored as a top target to fill that void.

Yahoo Sports' Chris Haynes reported in November there was some debate among Los Angeles' brass about who to target last summer but there "weren't enough key backers" for DeRozan, which led the team to push forward with the Westbrook deal instead.

It was a forgettable first season with the Lakers for the 2016-17 NBA MVP, which played a key role in the team missing the playoffs with a 33-49 record. He ranked tied for 232nd out of 250 qualified players in FiveThirtyEight's WAR metric.

Westbrook's struggles along with DeRozan's resurgent year in Chicago—he ranked seventh in the NBA by scoring 27.9 points per game—makes it easy to call the decision a mistake in hindsight, though it was less clear 12 months ago.

The issue was compounded over this summer as the Lakers were unable to find a taker for Westbrook on the trade market, which means they're on track to enter the 2022-23 campaign with the same core trio that failed to produce results last season.

DeRozan's comments, while not a major surprise, do rub a little salt in the wound of the growing number of mistakes L.A.'s front office has made since winning the 2020 NBA title.

The Lakers did re-sign James to a two-year contract extension in August, which ensures the team's championship window will remain open for a while longer, but making the right complementary moves will be crucial.

As it stands, Los Angeles is going to need a major bounce-back season from Westbrook or a blockbuster trade to return to the league's elite this season.

The outlook would be a lot more promising with DeRozan on the roster instead.

Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James gave a unique answer Wednesday when asked to name his favorite player growing up.

The question was seemingly about basketball, but rather than name-dropping someone like Michael Jordan, LeBron switched sports and mentioned Baseball Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr.:

In addition to being one of the greatest outfielders and power hitters in Major League Baseball history, Griffey was a cultural icon in the '90s.

He is best known for his time with the Seattle Mariners from 1989 to 1999, although Griffey also went on to play for the Cincinnati Reds and Chicago White Sox during his 22-year MLB career.

The Kid was a 13-time All-Star, seven-time Silver Slugger Award winner, three-time Home Run Derby winner and one-time American League MVP, plus he won 10 Gold Gloves thanks to his dazzling defense in center field.

Griffey is seventh on the all-time home run list with 630 blasts, and in 2016, he was nearly a unanimous Hall of Fame selection with 437 of the 440 voters putting him in.

Griffey was also the definition of "cool" during his MLB career, especially when he was with the Mariners.

He gracefully glided through the outfield, had arguably the smoothest swing of all time and would wear his hat backward every chance he got.

Junior likely inspired an entire generation of young people to become athletes, and it seems as though LeBron was part of that group.

Los Angeles Lakers star Anthony Davis didn't have a great shooting year in 2021-22, and now we may know one of the reasons.

"A lot of people don’t know this but since January I was battling a wrist injury," he told reporters Wednesday. "... It was tough for me to shoot how I wanted to shoot."

Davis was limited to 40 games last year, first suffering an MCL sprain in December and then experiencing a foot sprain in February.

He also injured his wrist in a 105-87 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers on Jan. 27, but it didn't appear to be serious. X-rays on the wrist came back negative, and the 6'10" forward was only out for one game.

In light of Davis' recent comments, it was obviously a bigger issue than people were aware at the time.

Along with him missing half of the season, Davis' performance on the court left many underwhelmed. He averaged 23.2 points on 53.2 percent shooting — his third-best clip ever — yet his inconsistency from the perimeter was impossible to ignore. He hit just 18.6 percent of his three-point attempts. His free-throw percentage (71.3) was a career low for good measure.

It would be easy to blame the wrist injury alone, yet the numbers don't back up that argument. In 29 appearances through Jan. 27, he was a 52.4/17.2/73.5 percent shooter. He shot 55.4/25.0/.66.7 percent for the rest of the year, which isn't a great sample because it equated to 11 games.

Davis said Wednesday his wrist is feeling "great," so it shouldn't continue to linger once the season begins. Although that won't be a panacea for his shooting, broadly staying healthy may go a long way toward him getting back to his best as a stretch big.

Draymond Green is a four-time NBA champion, a four-time All-Star, a two-time All-NBA selection, a seven-time All-Defensive team pick and a former NBA Defensive Player of the Year. And he's accomplished all of that over a 10-year career, which has been spent entirely with the Golden State Warriors.

The 32-year-old won his fourth and most recent championship with the Warriors last season, when they made an impressive run to the NBA Finals that culminated with a six-game series win against the Boston Celtics.

Now, they're looking to go back-to-back during the 2022-23 campaign, which begins on October 18.

If Golden State has more success, Green will likely be a large reason for that. The forward remains part of the team's core and one of its biggest leaders.

That doesn't mean the Michigan State product will be with the Warriors for the rest of his career, though.

After the 2022-23 season, Green could become an unrestricted free agent. He has a $27.6 million player option for the 2023-24 campaign, and it's possible he may decide to hit the market instead.

A Western Conference executive recently told Sean Deveney of Heavy.com that there are a few teams that could draw Green away from Golden State.

“If he gets a big offer from Detroit as one example or maybe Dallas or the Lakers, somewhere he would like to play? He is not going to be shy about leaving. He understands this business,” the executive said.

Any of those three teams would be interesting landing spots for Green, and his experience could be valuable to any of them as they pursue an NBA title.

Let's take a closer look at the Lakers, though. They don't have many players under contract beyond the end of the 2022-23 season, and by then, they may have moved on from Russell Westbrook, who will be an unrestricted free agent next summer.

Is Green the type of veteran player who would complement LeBron James and Anthony Davis, helping lead Los Angeles back to championship success? It's an intriguing possibility.

But the player's interest in going to L.A. may actually extend beyond his basketball career.

"You know he loves being on the barbershop show with LeBron," the executive added. "He wants to have an entertainment career when he is done playing. You don’t need to be in L.A. for that, but it helps."

That could make it worthwhile from Green's side. But the Lakers should have interest in pursuing him, should he be available.

Last season, Green averaged 7.5 points, 7.3 rebounds and 7.0 assists in 46 games, and he shot a career-best 52.5 percent from the field. He also continues to play strong defense, which makes him a valuable asset on that end of the court. So, he could provide a big boost for Los Angeles.

Of course, there's always a chance Green accepts his player option for the 2023-24 season, and the speculation will be for naught. But he'll be a UFA the following summer, which could spark more rumors about his future.

Los Angeles Lakers first-year head coach Darvin Ham has always valued point guard Russell Westbrook highly, and that was further solidified after the team's first practice on Tuesday.

Ham told reporters that he "absolutely" views Westbrook as a starter heading into the 2022-23 season, saying, "He was there front and center today and did well. He brought a lot of energy."

Westbrook is entering his second year in Purple and Gold after a disappointing 2021-22 season. He averaged 18.5 points, 7.4 rebounds and 7.1 assists, his first time finishing with under 20 points per game since his second year in the NBA. It appeared at times that he wasn't a natural fit alongside Lakers stars LeBron James and Anthony Davis, and many believed that it was necessary for Westbrook to adjust his style of play.

Unfortunately, James and Davis weren't on the floor enough to take pressure off of Westbrook, as both of them missed significant time with various injuries. The Lakers finished with a 33-49 record and failed to make the playoffs.

Despite his struggles last year, Westbrook has always had the support of his new head coach. During his introductory press conference in June, Ham expressed his excitement to be coaching the 2017 NBA MVP.

"Don't get it messed up: Russell Westbrook is one of the best players our league has ever seen, and there's still a ton left in the tank," Ham said. "I don't know why people tend to try to write him off."

Entering this season, Westbrook seems more open to changing his role if it benefits the team. He recently told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski that he wouldn't mind coming off the bench, saying, "I'm all-in on whatever it takes for this team to win. I'm prepared for whatever comes my way."

The Lakers will play their first preseason game on Oct. 3 against the Sacramento Kings.

The LeBron James-produced family sports comedy Fantasy Football is set to premiere on the Paramount+ streaming service on Nov. 25, the company announced in a press release Tuesday.

James and Maverick Carter’s Emmy Award-winning SpringHill Company combined with Marsai Martin, Joshua Martin, and Carol Martin of Genius Entertainment to produce the film.

It is a Nickelodeon Films project and produced in association with NFL Films and the support of EA Sports, the Atlanta Falcons and Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

Fantasy Football is about a girl named Callie A. Coleman who discovers she can control her father, Bobby Coleman, a running back for the Falcons, and his performance on the field by playing EA Sports' Madden 23 video game.

Thanks to her skills with the controller, Coleman's father is magically transformed from a mediocre player into a star running back for the Falcons

The press release (via The Futon Critic) states:

"With the NFL Playoffs looming and the pressures of Callie’s new commitment to her friends on the robotics team mounting, the two must forge ahead to keep the magic a secret as they juggle the highs and lows of their newfound success, all as they rediscover what it really means to be a family."

The film stars Martin, Omari Hardwick, Kelly Rowland, Rome Flynn, Elijah Richardson, Hanani Taylor, Abigail Killmeier, Tyla Harris and Isac Ivan.

When LeBron James signed with the Miami Heat in 2010, teaming up with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, he galvanized the idea of building a "superteam" alongside some of the most talented players in the NBA.

The idea of doing so has become standard in the NBA, and it has stretched into college football, at least according to Oregon offensive coordinator Kenny Dillingham.

"This generation of kids, they saw LeBron take his talents to Miami," Dillingham said, according to Sports Illustrated's John Walters. "They wanna be on a superteam."

James likely could have not predicted the impact his move to Miami would have on the NBA and athletics as a whole. Many believed the trio of him, Bosh and Wade would be one of the NBA's best, but after the group reached four Finals, winning two, the idea of stars jumping franchises to combine forces began to solidify.

The best teams in college football are No. 1 Georgia, No. 2 Alabama and No. 3 Ohio State. Those three programs have been powerhouses for decades, and they frequently benefit from landing the nation's top recruits.

While Georgia, Alabama and Ohio State also benefit from landing the top available transfers in the country, many of their most talented players didn't join the program via the transfer portal.

For example, Bryce Young has spent his entire collegiate career with Alabama, and the same can be said for Stetson Bennett at Georgia and C.J. Stroud at Ohio State.

Oregon benefited heavily from the transfer portal this past offseason, landing quarterback Bo Nix from Auburn and running back Bucky Irving from Minnesota.

Nix, a senior, has had a solid start to the 2022 campaign, completing 72 percent of his passes for 1,100 yards and 10 touchdowns against three interceptions. He has also rushed for 120 yards and three scores.

Irving, a sophomore, has rushed for 265 yards and one touchdown on 38 carries, in addition to catching seven passes for 58 yards and one score.

So, whatever Dillingham's feelings, his offense has benefited from players wanting to transfer in pursuit of building a winning team.

Much of the buzz surrounding the Los Angeles Lakers this offseason has involved much-maligned point guard Russell Westbrook. Last year's prized offseason acquisition disappointed in his first year with the franchise, and L.A. stumbled to a 33-win campaign.

Since then, it's been a will-they-or-won't-they waiting game with the Lakers and a possible Westbrook trade.

Early in the offseason, L.A. explored a trade that involved Westbrook and Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving. That deal never materialized, though, and with Irving and Kevin Durant both appearing willing to stay in Brooklyn, it probably won't happen at all.

"Irving was only available post opt-in because of Durant’s subsequent trade request, but Durant softening his stance and staying in Brooklyn puts the Nets firmly in win-now mode," The Athletic's Jovan Buha wrote in August.

Of course, Irving wasn't the only potential trade target for Los Angeles, and the Lakers' chances to trade Westbrook didn't end with Brooklyn.

According to Shams Charania of Stadium and The Athletic, the Lakers recently discussed a deal for Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner and guard Buddy Hield, The sticking point—as Charania noted on an appearance with Bally Sports' The Rally—is that L.A. didn't want to part with future unprotected first-round picks as part of the deal:

Los Angeles' stance regarding its future draft selections could change at any time, however. General manager Rob Pelinka mentioned at the Lakers' media day that future draft capital would be available for the right deal.

With or without Westbrook, L.A. is committed to building around LeBron James.

"We will do everything we can, picks included, to make deals that give us a chance to help LeBron get to the end," Pelinka told reporters. "He committed to our organization. That's gotta be a bilateral commitment, and it's there."

So, fans hoping to see Westbrook out of L.A. may ultimately get their wish. The Lakers are still exploring trade options, and the front office hasn't put the kibosh on moving future draft capital. Here's the thing, though: L.A. is going to wait for the right deal to materialize.

That might not happen until we're closer to the trade deadline in February. In the interim, the Lakers owe it to themselves to see how the current roster performs under new head coach Darvin Ham.

The Big Three of James, Westbrook and Anthony Davis failed under Frank Vogel. However, injuries played a large role in the team's downfall. James, Westbrook and Davis only played 21 games together, and while L.A.'s 11-10 record in those games wasn't spectacular, it was above the season standard.

Westbrook also clashed with Vogel about his role on the team—something the player openly admitted after the season.

"I think it's unfortunate, to be honest, because I've never had an issue with any of my coaches before," Westbrook told reporters in April. "I'm not sure what his issue was with me or I'm not sure why, but I can't really give you an answer to why we really never connected."

Things could be vastly different under Ham. As a first-time coach, Ham may be more open to building a system around his players rather than forcing them into predefined roles. Ham is also a former player who should command the respect of the locker room, and he may have an easier time getting Westbrook to buy into his vision.

According to Ham, he's already gotten a commitment from Westbrook to focus on playing defense this coming season.

"He’s told me personally he’s going to commit to that side of the ball," Ham said, per NBA.com's Mark Medina.

To his credit, Westbrook does appear to be focused on playing for L.A. this season, despite the trade rumors.

"Whether they want me here or not, it doesn’t really matter,” Westbrook said, per Medina. “My job is to be a professional and show up to work as I’ve always done."

The supporting cast still isn't ideal—though bringing back Dennis Schroder and adding the likes of Juan Toscano-Anderson and Troy Brown Jr. could help—but if Ham can forge some chemistry with his core group, the Westbrook experiment could still work.

In theory, having a third star will give James and Davis more opportunities to rest while providing L.A. with more lineup options. That was largely the plan last season, though injuries quickly ended it.

And, despite all of the trade rumors, the Lakers do still view Westbrook as a quality player.

"From what I understand now, they still see Russell Westbrook as a starter," ESPN's Ramona Shelburne said Sept. 19 on NBA Today (h/t Ashish Mathur of Heavy.com).

As long as L.A. views Westbrook as a starting-caliber player, it shouldn't rush to unload his contract—especially not if it means parting with future draft capital. For now, the Lakers should see what they have in their current roster and give it some time to jell under Ham's guidance.

The preseason kicks off next week, and the Lakers open with the Golden State Warriors on Oct. 15. If it's all still a disaster after the opening month, L.A. can revisit the trade market.

The Lakers couldn't make things work with Westbrook last season, but there's a very real chance that this year's version of the nine-time All-Star will be a different player. Considering that L.A.'s options are limited and moving the 33-year-old would be costly, the Lakers would be wise to at least see what version of Westbrook they can get.