LeBron James

When the Los Angeles Lakers acquired Anthony Davis, the long-term plan was for him to serve as the heir apparent to LeBron James as the franchise face.

Because of a series of injuries, Davis has failed at proving himself ready for that task. That said, Davis told Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports that LeBron has been "in his ear about taking over the reins of the team" heading into the 2022-23 season.

"All I can do is lead by my actions,” Davis said. “I’m excited for this challenge and what’s ahead. I think we have a great group of guys to get the job done. It’s now about putting in the work."

Davis has missed more games (88) than he's played (76) over the last two seasons. He failed to make the All-Star team for the first time since his rookie season in 2021-22, finishing with just 40 games played as the Lakers slogged their way through a miserable 33-49 campaign.

“I went into this summer focusing on strengthening my body,” Davis said. “I have to be on the court and at my best to put us in position to be our best. I’m ready to do that.”

Even when Davis managed to stay on the floor, he didn't perform at his typical All-NBA caliber. He shot a dreadful 18.6 percent from three-point range, looking like a completely different shooter than the one who knocked down 38.3 percent in the postseason during the Lakers' 2020 championship run.

While the Lakers owe a large chunk of their disappointing 2021-22 to LeBron James' absences, that's kind of expected from a 37-year-old with more than 60,000 NBA minutes on his odometer. Father Time is undefeated, no matter how much LeBron continues to defy logic with his brilliance.

Davis is 29 years old. This is when his body should be at its performance apex. But Davis has never really been able to stay healthy for an extended period during his entire career. He's never played more than 75 games and has missed at least 14 games in seven of his 10 NBA seasons.

Human bodies do not typically get healthier after age 30—particularly ones of the near-7-foot variety. There is a good chance Davis never emerges as the next great Lakers cornerstone, instead settling in as a star who needs a better star next to him to prop up his team.

These Lakers will once again rely on an aging LeBron to handle that task. Once James' body breaks down and he can't handle the night-to-night load anymore, it's anyone's guess where this franchise is headed.

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.

Major League Pickleball just landed its biggest investment yet.

A group of investors led by LeBron James, Draymond Green and Kevin Love purchased one of four expansion teams coming to the growing pickleball league next season.

"Having LRMR Ventures, SC Holdings and their incredible group as owners and investors in Major League Pickleball is not just great for MLP, but it's a watershed moment for pickleball in general," MLP founder Steve Kuhn told Owen Poindexter of Front Office Sports.

MLP is set to expand by four teams for next season, bringing its total to 16. Former New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees and Milwaukee Bucks governor Marc Lasry are among the high-profile sports figures to previously invest in a team.

MLP did not divulge the name of the new team boasting the trio of past NBA champions as owners. It's not clear how much a new franchise cost the group, which also includes investment firm SC Holdings, Relevent Sports Group co-owner and CEO Daniel Sillman and SpringHill Company CMO Paul Rivera.

Pickleball, a racket sport that combines elements of tennis, badminton and ping-pong, is one of the fastest-growing sports in the United States. The COVID-19 pandemic led to a massive boom as people sought safe outdoor activities, and it has continued to grow even as pandemic-related closures and other safety measures have been scaled back.

About 4.8 million people played pickleball in the United States last year, according to a survey conducted by the Sports & Fitness Industry Association. MLP seeks to grow that number to 40 million by 2030.

Even if that goal seems lofty beyond reasonable expectation, the addition of James, in particular, should help spark awareness for the sport.

MLP launched in 2021 and is competing with the Professional Pickleball Association for the marketshare.

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.

Los Angeles Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka confirmed Monday that he is willing to trade multiple draft picks in order to improve the roster around LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Co.

Speaking at media day (h/t Scott Rafferty of Sporting News), Pelinka said the following about his philosophy:

"Let me abundantly clear: We have one of the great players in LeBron James to ever play the game on our team. He committed to us with a long-term contract, a three-year contract. So of course we will do everything we can, picks included, to make deals that give us a chance to help LeBron get to the end. He committed to our organization. That's got to be a bilateral commitment, and it's there."

Pelinka referenced the fact that James signed a two-year extension with the Lakers in August, meaning he is under contract through at least 2024, and potentially through 2025 if he exercises his player option.

Given that James will turn 38 years old in December, Pelinka perhaps has a limited timeline to build another championship-contending team around LeBron.

While the Lakers won a championship in 2020 with James and Davis leading the way, the past two years have been a disappointment.

L.A. made it into the playoffs in 2021 through the Western Conference play-in tournament, but the No. 7 seed was eliminated by the Phoenix Suns in the first round. Last season was even worse, as the Lakers struggled to a 33-49 record and missed the playoffs amid James and Davis both missing significant time because of injuries.

It was clear that the Lakers needed to shake things up during the offseason, but doing so was difficult because of veteran guard Russell Westbrook opting into the final year of his contract and tying up a ton of salary.

The Lakers made a coaching change by firing Frank Vogel and replacing him with Darvin Ham, but most of their roster moves have been focused on role players.

Los Angeles traded Talen Horton-Tucker and Stanley Johnson to the Utah Jazz for veteran guard Patrick Beverley, plus they signed a host of depth players, including Dennis Schroder, Lonnie Walker IV, Juan Toscano-Anderson, Thomas Bryant, Damian Jones and Troy Brown Jr.

Any team with a healthy James and Davis has a chance to make a deep run, but the current Lakers roster likely isn't any better equipped to cope with one or both of them getting injured than last season's team was.

If the Lakers are going to swing a trade at some point during the season, they'll likely need to get creative with salaries in order to make it work. They'll also have to find a team willing to take draft picks well into the future.

L.A. has its own first-round pick in 2023, although the New Orleans Pelicans could opt to swap picks with them. The Pelicans own the Lakers' 2024 first-round pick unless they decide to defer to 2025.

The next Lakers first-round pick without any conditions isn't until 2026, which is likely why finding a trade fit and partner has been tricky thus far.

Pelinka noted that he only has "one shot to make a trade with multiple picks" and needs to make that count, which may be another reason why he is being selective.

Draft picks are essentially the only currency of value that Pelinka has to bargain with on the trade market, and his comments suggest he is more than willing to part with some if he believes it will get the Lakers closer to championship contention.

Dallas Cowboys defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence had a huge game in Monday's win over the New York Giants, and he took a victory lap on social media.

After finishing with six tackles and three sacks, Lawrence took to Twitter to troll Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James for his praise of Giants running back Saquon Barkley:

James expressed his excitement after Barkley broke free for a 36-yard touchdown run in the third quarter, which gave the Giants a 13-6 lead. But the Cowboys quickly erased the deficit and rattled off 17 straight points to put the game away.

Dallas will return to action Sunday with another NFC East matchup, this time against the Washington Commanders.