Lakers may shut down Larry Nance Jr. for season

Lakers forward Larry Nance Jr. has experienced more complications in his right knee.  (Photo by Stephen Carr / Daily Breeze)

Lakers forward Larry Nance Jr. has experienced more complications in his right knee. (Photo by Stephen Carr / Daily Breeze)

MILWAUKEE — The strong conviction in Larry Nance Jr.’s voice remained. He had played only nine minutes and 34 seconds in the Lakers’ 108-101 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday at the BMO Harris Bradley Center because of continued soreness in his right knee. But Nance maintained he “absolutely” could play in Wednesday’s game in Memphis.

The Lakers do not feel as confident. Lakers coach Byron Scott said he and head athletic trainer Gary Vitti had initial discussions about shutting down Nance for the remaining 24 games.

“I told him what I think. He told me what he thinks,” Scott said without sharing specifics. “That’s what he does. I’m going to go by what he thinks right now. We’ll do the treatment and see what happens on Wednesday.”
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Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol become sentimental in last game against each other

CHICAGO — The deep hug lasted a few seconds. But it felt like an eternity as Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol embraced each other.

Bryant patted his left hand on Gasol’s back. Then Bryant tapped his right hand on Gasol’s chest. Gasol spread a wide smile across his face. So did Bryant.

But the gestures did not stop. Gasol placed his right hand on Bryant’s chest before hugging him again. Gasol then wrapped his arms around Bryant again before tapping his head with his right hand. The two talked for a few moments. They hugged again. And then they went their separate ways.

Those physical interactions following the Lakers’ 126-115 loss to the Bulls on Sunday at United Center personified the warm and close bond Bryant and Gasol formed through 6 1/2 seasons together with the Lakers (2008-2014) that sparked three NBA Finals appearances and two NBA championships. So did Gasol’s words that played a large part in Bryant’s pre-game video tribute.

“He’s one of the best players of all time,” Gasol said in the video. “I had the privilege to play with him and enjoy moments that were truly unforgettable.”

After gushing about Bryant’s talent and work ethic, Gasol then described Bryant as “my former teammate and friend” before introducing him to the starting lineup. Nearly two hours later, Bryant cracked his voice slightly as he realized the finality of it all.

“To have him do that at the beginning of the game meant so much. It’s the last time I’m going to be facing him,” Bryant said. “That’s weird, unless we play pick up ball in Barcelona somewhere and play one-on-one.”

Bryant then offered a hearty laugh before stressing he has not reconsidered playing in the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janiero for a possible third consecutive gold-medal game between the United States and Gasol’s native Spain. Gasol sounded equally joyful and emotional in the Bulls’ locker room.

“It was awesome. The Bulls gave me that opportunity to be a part of that video,” Gasol said in an appreciative and eager tone. “The guys in the department here are really good. I’m happy, proud and honored to be a part of that moment. I’m happy for him and sad at the same time this is the last time we actually competed against each other. Hopefully we can play some one-on-one down the road and go at it again to talk trash like he does.”

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Kobe Bryant believes he needed to prove he could win an NBA title without Shaq

Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal buried the hatchet on Shaq's podcast that was released on Monday.  (Will Lester/Staff Photographer)

Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal buried the hatchet on Shaq’s podcast that was released on Monday. (Will Lester/Staff Photographer)

CHICAGO — The narrative already appears written. Once Kobe Bryant walks off the basketball court for one last time in two months, it will be retold all the way toward his inevitable Hall of Fame induction.

The Lakers’ star won five NBA championships. He became the franchise’s all-time leading scorer and third in the league. Bryant climbed to second place on the franchise’s all-time assists list. He accomplished all of these things with an unmatched work ethic and pain threshold. He did all these things with an evolving mix of a demanding personality and a softer side.

But there will also include a footnote about Bryant’s acrimonious relationship with former Lakers teammate Shaquille O’Neal. The tandem won three NBA championships together (1996-2004). But with the Lakers accommodating O’Neal’s trade demand in 2004, there forever marks the unanswered questions if both Bryant and O’Neal left more rings on the table if they could have ironed out their differences.

Yet as much as Bryant professed growing up that he “always wanted to win multiple championships,” he also conceded he wanted to do so on his own terms.

“It was always the challenge of ‘Kobe can’t win without Shaq,'” Bryant said following the Lakers’ loss to the Bulls on Sunday at United Center. “If I would’ve gone my whole career and we would’ve won championships, God bless you guys, but you guys would be saying in the Hall of Fame speech, ‘You won with Shaq.’ I don’t want to hear that. I don’t want to hear it. I knew I had the determination to do it. I was either going to sink or swim. At some point, I was going to have to take that challenge. Either you guys were right, or I was right. But I had to take that challenge.”

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Kobe Bryant details Michael Jordan’s influence on his game

LOS ANGELES, UNITED STATES: Michael Jordan of the Chicago Bulls (L) eyes the basket as he is guarded by Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers during their 01 February game in Los Angeles, CA. Jordan will appear in his 12th NBA All-Star game 08 February while Bryant will make his first All-Star appearance. The Lakers won the game 112-87. AFP PHOTO/Vince BUCCI (Photo credit should read Vince Bucci/AFP/Getty Images)

LOS ANGELES, UNITED STATES: Michael Jordan of the Chicago Bulls (L) eyes the basket as he is guarded by Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers during their 01 February game in Los Angeles, CA. Jordan will appear in his 12th NBA All-Star game 08 February while Bryant will make his first All-Star appearance. The Lakers won the game 112-87. AFP PHOTO/Vince BUCCI (Photo credit should read Vince Bucci/AFP/Getty Images)

CHICAGO – The video scoreboard pinpointed a moment that Kobe Bryant remembered vividly 20 years later.

On Dec. 17, 1996, Bryant squared off against Michael Jordan for the first time in his life. But despite spending a childhood studying Jordan “exclusively”, Bryant could not prepare for the first in-person interaction. Then, Jordan drove past Bryant baseline for a dunk.

“That was the coolest thing. I have seen that spin move so many times,” Bryant said before the Lakers played the Bulls on Sunday in what marked his final game at United Center. “I knew he was going to do it. But the timing on TV and in person are two completely different things. He spun right before I thought he was going to spin. I thought that was pretty cool.”

Jordan led the Bulls to victory that night with 30 points on a 10-of-32 clip, while an 18-year-old Bryant had five points on 2-of-5 shooting. But Bryant turned out quite all right after winning five NBA championships, even if it trailed Jordan’s six rings.

“Six doesn’t seem like it’s in the cards. But I’m okay with that because as a player, you want to try to do everything you can with what you have and leave no stone unturned,” Bryant said. “If you’ve looked at yourself in the mirror and honestly understand that you’ve done that, I’m more than happy.”
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Lakers’ shooting coach Tracy Murray details Julius Randle’s emerging jumper

The Lakers are impressed with Julius Randle's improved jumper. (photo by John McCoy/Los Angeles News Group)

The Lakers are impressed with Julius Randle’s improved jumper. (photo by John McCoy/Los Angeles News Group)

Below is an edited Q&A with Lakers shooting coach Tracy Murray about the development of Lakers second-year forward Julius Randle in his jumper. Murray had a 12-year NBA career, including one season with the Lakers (2002-03).

What has gone into Julius’ progression with his jump shot?

Murray:
“Slow down, slow down, slow down. But as a player, you don’t know if you’re moving fast until you see the video and until you know the tempo. For Julius, this is really his rookie year. If he played last year, he would know the tempo of the game already. It can’t be always fast. You have to change speeds. You can be fast in the open court. From one end to the other, you bust. But in half court, it’s about quickness and changing speeds. He’s starting to figure that out now.

With his shot, he’s taking it with confidence. He’s not second-guessing. He’s stepping into it knowing he’s going to shoot the ball. Nothing is going to happen bad for him if he takes that shot. We need him to do that. That eases any worry of him looking over and wondering if he’s coming out and shooting a jump shot. That was never something that would happen here anyway. But that’s a natural reaction. His mind is free. He sees enough of them go through the basket every day and he knows he can make it. He’s seen a few in the game go down. So now he’s starting to transfer it over now. With him going to the basket, he’s not much of a bowling ball anymore. He’s getting to his spots. If they cut him off, he’ll spin, create a foul or get a good look. He’s starting to figure that out. All that is is slowing down and reading what is in front of you.”

Did anything change in his mechanics?


Murray:
“Nothing changed in his mechanics. The great Reggie Miller didn’t have the prettiest shot. But he’s a Hall of Famer because he can knock down shots. Jamaal Wilkes didn’t have the prettiest shot, but he knocked down shots. It’s not so much the form as much as it is knowing how to work within your form. With Julius, his form is like Zach Randolph. He just has to slow the shot down and get the ball up in the air. When he was going up fast, he was shooting the ball straight like it was coming out of a cannon.

So when he slows it down and is on balance and goes up, now he’s able to get it up over the air and into the rim. It’s about rhythm. Shooting is 90 percent mental and 10 percent rhythm. You have to find your rhythm and release point as a player. He doesn’t jump very high on his shot. But with him, that’s okay. He has fast feet. If somebody runs at him, his strength comes into play. He can also take his time to knock it down. So he can be Sam Perkins or be Zach Randolph. When they run at you, then attack and then you’re gone.
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Lakers’ Byron Scott plans to keep Julius Randle as starter

Los Angeles Lakers forward Julius Randle (30) shoots over Minnesota Timberwolves forward Nemanja Bjelica (88) in the first half of a NBA basketball game at Staples Center on Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2015 in Los Angeles.   (Photo by Keith Birmingham/ Pasadena Star-News)

Los Angeles Lakers forward Julius Randle (30) shoots over Minnesota Timberwolves forward Nemanja Bjelica (88) in the first half of a NBA basketball game at Staples Center on Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2015 in Los Angeles.
(Photo by Keith Birmingham/ Pasadena Star-News)

Amid a season that started off with fluctuating roles and frustration, Lakers forward Julius Randle could end the 2015-16 campaign writing a relatively happier ending.

Nothing will change the missed playoff fortunes surrounding the Lakers (11-44), which enter Friday’s game against the San Antonio Spurs (45-9) at Staples Center with the Western Conference’s worst record. But Lakers coach Byron Scott plans to keep Randle as the starter both tonight and beyond for one simple reason.

“With the way he’s played,” Scott said. “He’s played so well.”
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Lakers’ Nick Young jokingly unaware about trade deadline date

Nick Young passes the ball as the Bulls’ Doug McDermott defends in a January game. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht/Los Angeles Daily News)

Nick Young passes the ball as the Bulls’ Doug McDermott defends in a January game. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht/Los Angeles Daily News)

The frustration hovering over Nick Young suddenly faded away, prompting the Lakers’ forward to say something that left everyone shaking their heads.

Young reported to practice on Wednesday expressing happiness about remaining on the Lakers after the NBA trade deadline. But as Young admitted, “I was off by a day.”

“That was going to be my No. 1 joke coming in,” Young said after practice on Thursday at the Lakers’ facility in El Segundo. “I was telling them I would be here and I still see your faces. They would come back and say, ‘You got a day to go.’

Instead, the Lakers just expressed confusion over Young’s apparent ignorance.

“I love Nick,” Lakers coach Byron Scott said, laughing. “I don’t think Nick pays a lot of attention to current events. It didn’t shock me. You love being around him. A lot of this he takes with a grain of salt.”

Hence, Lakers trainer Gary Vitti told Young multiple times that Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak wanted to speak with him. Vitti also joked with Young the Lakers tried to trade Young, but could not find any suitors.

“It got to the point where he said, ‘I got to stop,'” Young said, laughing. “‘Just in case something happens, I don’t want to be the guy that comes down.'”

That didn’t happen.

“Once I was doing [running drills], I thought I was stuck here,” Young said. “At first it was light and they didn’t want us to get hurt. Then once there were [a lot of running drills], I thought we’re here to stay.”

But even if Young admitted feeling a “little nervous,” he had told Los Angeles News Group he remained open about the Lakers trading him to a playoff team. Young figured it would assuage his frustrations with the Lakers’ record (11-44) as well as posting career-lows in points (7.2) and shooting percentage (35.4) in only 18.8 minutes per contest.

“When you’re in my shoes, you see so much going on,” Young said. “You’re just pretty much waiting to hear your name. Once it doesn’t happen, you feel a little relief. You get back to being focused with where you’re at.”

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Lakers’ Mitch Kupchak offers more insight on trade deadline than evaluations on Byron Scott

Lakers’ Nick Young keeping an open mind with NBA’s trade deadline

Follow L.A. Daily News Lakers beat writer Mark Medina on Twitter and on Facebook. E-mail him at mark.medina@langnews.com

Lakers’ Byron Scott reports having a “good conversation” with Mitch Kupchak

Lakers coach Byron Scott downplayed Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak declining to talk about his job performance publicly. (photo by John McCoy/Los Angeles News Group)

Lakers coach Byron Scott downplayed Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak declining to talk about his job performance publicly. (photo by John McCoy/Los Angeles News Group)

Through all the debilitating losses, Lakers coach Byron Scott still clung onto a conversation he had during his job interview that left him encouraged.

Scott often shared that Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak and executive Jim Buss asked him how much patience he had for a potentially long-term rebuilding process. Scott indicated he did before asking Kupchak and Buss how much patience they had themselves. Scott reported the two feeling the same way.

Yet, the Lakers’ patience could have worn thin.

Kupchak declined to talk about Scott on Wednesday before reciting that he remains under contract in a two-year deal worth $8.5 million. But even without Kupchak offering a vote of confidence, Scott still expressed confidence about his standing after talking with Kupchak on Wednesday afternoon.

“It was good,” Scott said after practice on Thursday at the Lakers’ facility in El Segundo. “Our conversation was a good conversation.”
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Lakers keep roster intact after trade deadline

The Lakers did not make any moves leading into Thursday's trade deadline. Photo by Steve McCrank/Staff Photographer

The Lakers did not make any moves leading into Thursday’s trade deadline. Photo by Steve McCrank/Staff Photographer

The Lakers (11-44) may have an endless to-do list in revamping their roster. But the Lakers passed on fixing any of those issues before Thursday’s trade deadline.

The Lakers’ decision to stand pat stems from the variables that could make it easier to rebuild their roster during the offseason. Then, the Lakers will have more cap space because of Kobe Bryant’s pending retirement. If the ping pong balls bounce in the Lakers’ favor, they could also have a top-3 draft pick.

The Lakers wanted to hold onto their young core of players that included D’Angelo Russell, Julius Randle, Jordan Clarkson, Larry Nance Jr. and Anthony Brown because of their talent and long-term potential. The Lakers have several veterans available on expiring contracts (Roy Hibbert, Ryan Kelly, Robert Sacre, Metta World Peace, Marcelo Huertas) or on reasonable deals (Lou Williams, Nick Young and Brandon Bass). But none of those pieces attracted much interest.

Any potential deal became more complicated because the Lakers did not want to accept anything that could compromise their cap space or disrupt their young core’s development for the remaining 27 games. Most NBA teams have also held draft picks in higher regard because of the potential to land a promising young player as well as the stricter spending limitations in the league’s labor deal constructed five years ago.

RELATED:

Lakers’ Mitch Kupchak offers more insight on trade deadline than evaluations on Byron Scott

Lakers’ D’Angelo Russell, Jordan Clarkson downplay press conference incident during All-Star weekend

NBA All-Star game: Lakers’ Kobe Bryant stresses teammates should not intentionally set him up for MVP award

Follow L.A. Daily News Lakers beat writer Mark Medina on Twitter and on Facebook. E-mail him at mark.medina@langnews.com

Lakers’ Mitch Kupchak declines to evaluate Byron Scott’s performance

LA Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak declined to address on Wednesday how Byron Scott has done as head coach. Photos by Brad Graverson/LANG/09-24-15

LA Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak declined to address on Wednesday how Byron Scott has done as head coach. Photos by Brad Graverson/LANG/09-24-15

A busy offseason awaits the Lakers that should give general manager Mitch Kupchak little sleep.

Will the ping pong balls bounce the Lakers’ way so they can keep their top-3 protected draft pick? Will the Lakers make good use of their cap money freed with Kobe Bryant’s impending retirement? Will the Lakers retain coach Byron Scott after experiencing another season out of playoff contention and in the Western Conference cellar?

Kupchak declined to address the latter issue on Wednesday as Scott oversees the Lakers (11-44) likely finishing with their worst season in franchise history for the second consecutive year.

“Byron is under contract,” Kupchak said at the Lakers’ practice facility in El Segundo. “Until that changes or if that changes, we’ll let you know.”

Scott has two years left on a contract worth $8.5 million, including guaranteed salary for next year. But that has not stopped the Lakers from parting ways with their coaches in past years. The Lakers fired Mike Brown five games in only his second season (2012). Mike D’Antoni resigned after his second season (2014).

Despite Scott overseeing Lakers going 21-61 last season, Kupchak routinely praised Scott for his work ethic, positive attitude and ensuring that his players competed. But Kupchak offered no such words when a reporter asked him if he thought Scott has done a good job in his second year coaching the Lakers.

“I don’t want to get into a Byron discussion right now,” Kupchak said. “I’m not going to answer any more questions about Byron. My concern is one question will lead to another. If his status changes, I’ll let you know.”

Minutes later, a Lakers official interrupted a question pertaining to the criticism Scott received regarding how he has handled rookie point guard D’Angelo Russell. Kupchak then declined to answer it.

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