How would De’Aaron Fox fit on the Lakers?

Most of the attention squarely centers on whether or not the Lakers will get involved in the Paul George sweepstakes. Or if they will follow through on the league-wide expectation to select UCLA guard Lonzo Ball with the No. 2 pick.

But what if the Lakers take a different path? What if they shore up their backcourt by drafting Kentucky guard De’Aaron Fox instead?

For the latest “We Want Tacos” Lakers podcast, I spoke with someone who has plenty of perspective on this topic. Fletcher Page, the University of Kentucky basketball writer for the Louisville Courier-Journal, offered plenty of insight on Fox after covering him for his freshman season with the Wildcats. I touch base with Page on a variety of topics, including how he takes motivation from Ball and Washington guard Markelle Fultz projected ahead of him in NBA mock drafts, the comparisons to Washington guard John Wall, his progress as a shooter, his defensive skills and if there is a scenario he could wear a purple and gold uniform.


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

Indiana’s Paul George reportedly plans to join the Lakers as a free agent in 2018

Indiana Pacers forward Paul George, right, drives around Los Angeles Lakers forward Brandon Ingram during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2016, in Indianapolis. Indiana won 115-108. (AP Photo/R Brent Smith)

Even after landing a coveted poker chip in the form of a No. 2 draft pick, Lakers president of basketball operations Magic Johnson did not allow that prize to add an extra tint to his purple-and-gold colored glasses regarding free agency.

“I don’t know if we’re going to be a major player this year,” Johnson said after the NBA draft lottery in May. “I’m really looking forward to next summer.”

This past weekend, the Lakers have a mix of optimism and uncertainty on those feelings. The Vertical reported that Indiana star forward Paul George informed the Pacers through his agent, Aaron Mintz, that he plans to opt out of his contract following the 2017-18. Instead, George has aspirations to join the Lakers, which also features some of Mintz’s other clients, including guard D’Angelo Russell and forward Julius Randle.

That explains Johnson’s optimism about next summer. The Lakers resisted trading away their young assets before the Feb. 21 trade deadline, mindful that acquiring George then could come at the expense of nurturing a growing roster around him. George, according to those familiar with his thinking, worried about the same thing.

Yet, George’s recent conversation with the Pacers could complicate his picture wearing a purple and gold uniform.

On one hand, the Lakers have not offered any indication they would make a deal for George for any of their young players since they would have enough cap space to sign him anyway in 2018. On the other hand, the Lakers’ patience may not become a virtue. The Cleveland Cavaliers reportedly have had trade discussions with Indiana, hoping a one-year rental on a championship-caliber roster could entice him to stay longer.

George, who grew up in Palmdale and idolized former Lakers star Kobe Bryant, offers several qualities that would make his purple and gold uniform glitter.

The four-time NBA All-Star averaged 23.7 points, 6.6 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.6 steals for Indiana this season. He would mark the Lakers’ the Lakers’ first potential free-agent signing since striking out in recent years in retaining their own (Dwight Howard, Pau Gasol) and enticing star players (LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, LaMarcus Aldridge, DeAndre Jordan, Greg Monroe, Kevin Durant). And George has a close relationship with Lakers associate coach Brian Shaw after the pair worked together in Indiana (2011-13).

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

Lakers’ summer league schedule includes matchups against Clippers, Celtics

Despite all the unanswered questions the Lakers face with their No. 2 draft pick, free-agency sweepstakes and young roster, two things have remained certain.

The Lakers hate the Boston Celtics. The Lakers despise the Clippers, too. So it only seems fitting that the Lakers’ summer league schedule in Las Vegas opens with games against their loathsome opponents. First, the Lakers will play the Clippers on July 7 at the Thomas & Mack Center (5:30 pm PT, ESPN). Then, the Lakers will play the Celtics at Thomas & Mack Center on July 8, a matchup that will feature the No. 1 and No. 2 picks against each other.

That game could center on the Celtics’ presumed selection (Markelle Fultz) against the Lakers (Lonzo Ball). But with the Lakers holding other workouts for other candidates as well, that game could very well feature De’Aaron Fox or Josh Jackson.

The Lakers then resume play against the Sacramento Kings on July 10 (5:30 pm PT, NBA TV) at Thomas & Mack Center. Though each team will play a minimum of five games in summer league play, the Lakers’ remaining schedule hinges on the results of their first three games. The quarterfinals (July 15), semifinals (July 16) and championship game (July 16) will conclude the event.

The Lakers will feature a significant part of their young roster. In addition to the Lakers’ No. 2 and No. 28 picks making their debut, Lakers forward Brandon Ingram and center Ivica Zubac plan to play for the second consecutive year. Lakers guard David Nwaba plans to join them too after signing with the team late in the 2016-17 season following a productive year with the D-Fenders, the team’s Development League affiliate.

All of the Lakers’ summer league games will be broadcast on both through Spectrum SportsNet, the team’s cable partners. Fans can buy tickets at NBATickets.com.

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

Lonzo Ball pokes fun at his dad, LaVar, in Foot Locker commercial

For all those times LaVar Ball touted his son’s greatness, spoken on his behalf and heightened the public pressure around him, UCLA guard Lonzo Ball apparently cannot thank his father enough.

For Father’s Day, Ball expressed warm and fuzzy gratitude in a Foot Locker commercial on the various ways his father supported him.

“Of course there’s that big day when your dad berates your high school coach in front of an entire crowd for not getting you enough touches,” Ball said.

Ball then retraced his memory to “that special moment when your dad shoots you down and tells you where you’re going to go to college.” Ball still remembers vividly when his dad “copyrights your name to make it part of a family lifestyle brand.” And who could forget when LaVar “went on First Take and shouted back and forth with Stephen A. Smith about how you’re already better than the reigning MVP?”
Continue reading “Lonzo Ball pokes fun at his dad, LaVar, in Foot Locker commercial” »

Mychal Thompson: Warriors will be greatest team in history if they go 16-0 in NBA playoffs

Klay Thompson looks at his father Mychal Thompson as he records a video during a ceremony retiring his jersey number at Santa Margarita Catholic High School in Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif. on Friday, January 13, 2017. Thompson helped the Eagles to a Division III State championship in 2008, was a first round draft pick of the Golden State Warriors in 2011 and helped them win a title in 2015. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)

The anxiousness has hardly subsided, even as Mychal Thompson is potentially one game away from seeing his son, Klay, win his second NBA championship in the past three seasons with the Golden State Warriors.

With the Warriors nursing a 3-0 series lead over the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA Finals, Thompson has found little comfort with no NBA team in history ever overcoming such a deficit. As the Warriors enter a potential series-clinching Game 4 in Cleveland on Friday, Thompson still remains haunted with Golden State coughing up a 3-1 Finals series lead to the Cavaliers last year.

So, another Warriors victory no doubt would put Thompson at ease. It would also leave him convinced that Golden State would go down as the NBA’s best team because of a 16-0 record in the playoffs.

“That’s hard to get. It’s not guaranteed they will get to 16,” Thompson said. “But if they are able to pull that off…”

Thompson trailed off for a few moments, reflecting on all the NBA basketball he witnessed as a child, as as 13-year NBA player, as a member of the Showtime Lakers (1987-1991) and as a longtime radio color analyst for KSPN-710 AM.

“I’ve seen all the teams from Bill Russell’s teams to now,” Thompson said. “If they go 16-0, with the season they have and the personnel they have, to me, they would be the greatest team in history.”

In other words, Thompson will not represent one of many former NBA luminaries to boast superiority about their past teams over the current Warriors.

“I better say we’d win because Magic [Johnson] would have me exiled from L.A.,” Thompson said, laughing. “But this Warriors team is legit. They can beat anybody.”

Continue reading “Mychal Thompson: Warriors will be greatest team in history if they go 16-0 in NBA playoffs” »

Lakers announce 2017 preseason schedule

Of all the variables that determine how quickly the Lakers’ young roster develops in the 2017-18 season, training camp will become a less determining factor.

That’s because the NBA has shortened the amount of preseason games in hopes to help with player rest and recovery. Though this gives the Lakers less time to prepare with practice and preseason games, Lakers coach Luke Walton represented one of many NBA coaches that favored reducing the exhibition schedule for recovery purposes.

After normally starting exhibition play in early October, the Lakers’ preseason opener will be on Sept. 30 against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Anaheim’s Honda Center. The Lakers then play on Oct. 2 against Denver (Staples Center), Oct. 4 against Denver (Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario) and Oct. 8 against Sacramento (T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas). The Lakers will then conclude their exhibition schedule at Staples Center against Utah on Oct. 10 and the Clippers on Oct. 13. The NBA will release the schedule for the 2017-18 regular season sometime in early August.

Because of the condensed preseason schedule, the Lakers will not play in San Diego as they had in past seasons. The Lakers will not play in the hometown of coach Luke Walton for only the fourth time in the past 15 years. They also did not play exhibition games in San Diego in 2007 (trip to Hawaii), 2011 (lockout-shortened preseason) and 2013 (trip to China).

Tickets for games in Anaheim, Ontario and Las Vegas will go on sale at 10 a.m. PT on June 12, while tickets for games at Staples Center will go on sale at a later unannounced date.

Fans can buy tickets for the games in Anaheim and Ontario through www.ticketmaster.com or by phone (1-800-4-NBA-TIX for Anaheim; 1-800-745-300 in Ontario). For Anaheim, tickets are also available at the Honda Center box office, priced at $20, $25, $41, $74 and $129. Group seats of 15 or more are available for purchase by calling 1-714-940-2859 or visiting www.hondacenter.com. For Ontario, tickets are also available at the Citizens Business Bank Arena Box Office (Monday-Friday; 12pm-5pm), priced at $22, $39, $65, $75, $115 and $125.

As for the game in Las Vegas, fans can buy tickets through www.axs.com, by phone (1-888-929-7849) or at the T-Mobile Arena Box office. Those tickets are priced at $22, $37, $52, $75, $90 and $145.

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Follow L.A. Daily News Lakers beat writer Mark Medina on Twitter and on Facebook. E-mail him at mmedina@scng.com. Subscribe to the “We Want Tacos” podcast on iTunes.

De’Aaron Fox plans to work out with Lakers on June 13

The Lakers plan to host an individual workout for former Kentucky guard De’Aaron Fox on June 13, according to league sources familiar with the situation. After working out last week with the Sacramento Kings, Fox also plans to work out with the Philadelphia 76ers at some point the following weekend (June 16-18).

The Lakers also had an individual workout on Wednesday for former UCLA guard Lonzo Ball. They reportedly plan to watch Kansas shooting guard/small fowrard Josh Jackson in Sacramento on Thursday.

Plenty in NBA circles expect the Lakers to draft Ball because of his strong passing and shooting abilities he displayed during his lone season with the Bruins. Ball also could become a marketing draw with the Los Angeles native starring at Chino Hills and his father, LaVar, pursuing various business ventures with his “Big Baller Brand.” Yet, the Lakers have maintained an open mind on who they would select at No. 2.

Lakers president of basketball operations Magic Johnson and general manager Rob Pelinka have publicly downplayed whether LaVar Ball’s outspoken nature could deter them from drafting his son. Yet, plenty in NBA circles suspect the Lakers will inquire about LaVar Ball’s level of involvement and ensure he would do nothing to undermine the team’s front office, coaching staff and players. The Lakers also like Fox after averaging 16.7 points on 47.9 percent shooting, 4.6 assists and 4.0 rebounds with the Wildcats.

The Lakers were impressed with Fox when they interviewed him last month at the NBA pre-draft combine in Chicago. They also were impressed with Fox’s workout at the Catalyst Sports’ Pro Day in Los Angeles last weekend.

Although they will consider various factors in their No. 2 selection, Johnson and Pelinka had witnessed Kentucky’s victory over UCLA in the Sweet 16 where Fox had 39 points, while Ball had only 10 points. Although plenty of NBA talent evaluators believe Ball will make the Lakers’ offense more fluid and make D’Angelo Russell more comfortable as an off-ball guard, plenty believe that tandem will faced numerous challenges defensively. Meanwhile, Fox is considered the best backcourt defender in this year’s draft class, a skill that could elevate the Lakers after faring nearly last in the NBA last season in several defensive categories.

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Follow L.A. Daily News Lakers beat writer Mark Medina on Twitter and on Facebook. E-mail him at mmedina@scng.com. Subscribe to the “We Want Tacos” podcast on iTunes.

Magic Johnson: Showtime Lakers “would probably sweep” Warriors

Tv personality Cari Champion, Magic Johnson and Pat Riley speak onstage during the American Express Teamed Up with Magic Johnson and Pat Riley on June 5, 2017 at the Conga Room in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for American Express)

The game can only take place in everyone’s imagination. But it’s a game the participants wished they could play to prove their on-court supremacy and place in NBA history.

On one side of the court stand the Showtime Lakers, which featured a dazzling point guard (Magic Johnson), a center with a distinguishable sky hook (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) and a versatile forward (James Worthy). On the other side of the court stand the Golden State Warriors, which have a backcourt that seemingly never misses a shot (Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson), a newly acquired star player (Kevin Durant) and a feisty defender (Draymond Green). Both teams have too many players in their supporting cast to count.

All of those ingredients have the makings of what believe would be a competitive seven-game NBA Finals series. Well, not everyone thinks that way.

“We would probably sweep them,” Johnson said on Monday at an American Express-sponsored event at the Conga Room in L.A. Live. They’re too small.”

Several in the audience laughed and cheered. Heat president and former Lakers coach Pat Riley then interjected, “Try putting somebody on Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.”

That somebody would be Warriors center Zaza Pachulia.

“Zaza, I’m sorry,” Johnson said, laughing.

Continue reading “Magic Johnson: Showtime Lakers “would probably sweep” Warriors” »

Champions Basketball League launches Los Angeles Superstars

In a city consumed with the Lakers’ championship parades and star players, Los Angeles has just launched a team that will give fans a say in constructing a title-contending roster.

No, the Lakers are not hiring fans to work with their front office brass in governor Jeanie Buss, president of basketball operations Magic Johnson and general manager Rob Pelinka. Champions League Basketball, a new professional summer basketball league featuring former NBA players, launched the Los Angeles Superstars, a team that will allow fans to have an ownership role by investing in the team.

The Superstars’ brass will include former Lakers coach Byron Scott (president), former Lakers guard Gary Payton (general manager) and former Lakers guard Mitch Richmond (head coach). Meanwhile, the Superstars roster will include various former NBA players, including Corey Maggette, Carlos Boozer, Al Thornton, Mike Bibby, Marcus Banks, Josh Childress, Daniel ‘Boobie’ Gibson, Jamario Moon and Brian Cook.

Team ownership will include various perks, including attendance to practice, sitting in the owners section, attending team parties, receiving discounts on tickets, merchandise and parking, attending player meet-and-greets, participating in management conference calls and having the chance to be an assistant coach for a game. The league, which will feature more than 160 players, will have regular-season play in July and August followed by a tournament in Las Vegas in September. The Champions Basketball League posted information on fan investment opportunities on their website.

“After decades of involvement with the sport, it was obvious that fans wanted more opportunities to connect with the game,” said L.A. SuperStars CEO and Western Region EVP Mark Scoggins said in a statement. “So, we created the opportunity where fans could be owners, with the amazing perks ownership implies. This is actual ownership where fans become owners along with our founding team owners, so it is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for fans to be more connected than ever before to a professional sports team. Fans for the first time in L.A. history can enjoy all the special perks that only ownership can bring.”


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Lakers’ Brandon Ingram wants to ‘dream big’ with his 5-year plan

Follow L.A. Daily News Lakers beat writer Mark Medina on Twitter and on Facebook. E-mail him at mmedina@scng.com. Subscribe to the “We Want Tacos” podcast on iTunes.

Lakers hire Gunnar Peterson as director of strength and endurance training

After making several changes to various behind-the-scenes positions this offseason, the Lakers have started hiring new members to their organization.

As part of efforts from Lakers controlling owner Jeanie Buss, president of basketball operations Magic Johnson and general manager Rob Pelinka to restructure their staff, the Lakers named Gunnar Peterson as the team’s Director of Strength and Endurance Training.

Peterson had served as a personal trainer in Beverly Hills for the past 28 years for various athletes in the NBA, NHL, NFL, MLB, USTA, boxing and various NCAA tournaments as well as entertainers. According to Peterson’s website, he has also trained reality television stars Khloe and Kim Kardashian.

“From his time in college at Duke University until now, Gunnar has pursued excellence in training and fitness,” Pelinka said in a statement. “Gunnar is a true pioneer and visionary at his craft, and will bring a new mentality to our weight room which we are all very excited about. Since Magic and I have worked with Gunnar in the past, we have a strong relationship with him, which makes working together now feel seamless.”

Peterson replaced Tim DiFrancesco, who had served as the Lakers’ strength and conditioning coach for the past 6 1/2 seasons before resigning earlier this month. The Lakers also had parted ways with assistant strength and conditioning coach Sean Light.

The Lakers said that Peterson “will design and implement a strength and conditioning program for the team with the goal of keeping the players performing at elite levels throughout the NBA season.”

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Follow L.A. Daily News Lakers beat writer Mark Medina on Twitter and on Facebook. E-mail him at mmedina@scng.com. Subscribe to the “We Want Tacos” podcast on iTunes.