Lakers’ Jeremy Lin, Ryan Kelly return to starting lineup

It’s no secret that Jeremy Lin has been playing mostly well since being demoted to the bench in December. After a season-high 29 points on Sunday against Philadelphia, Lin will be rewarded with a return to the starting lineup on Tuesday at Oklahoma City.

Byron Scott announced the decision following practice on Monday by saying that Lin would be paired with Jordan Clarkson and it was something he had considered the previous weeks based on Lin’s performances leading up to Sunday

“It had nothing to do with last night but last night obviously made it a little bit easier to throw him in there because he played so well. We’ll see what happens on this trip,” Scott said.

Continue reading “Lakers’ Jeremy Lin, Ryan Kelly return to starting lineup” »

Lakers’ Ryan Kelly doubtful for Sunday

Ryan Kelly returned to practice on Saturday in a limited capacity but his status remains up in the air for Sunday’s game as he continues to battle a right hamstring injury.

“He’s questionable but it’s more like doubtful. I want to see if he can go a full day of practice on Monday and then we’ll go from there,” Byron Scott said.

Lakers’ Ryan Kelly could play Tuesday vs. Phoenix

Amid their worst start in 57 years, the Lakers finally received a rare dose of good news.

Lakers forward Ryan Kelly could play Tuesday against the Phoenix Suns at Staples Center after staying sidelined since training camp with overlapping injuries to his left and right hamstrings. Kelly practiced for about an hour on Monday, which he said consisted of three-man weave and running drills as well as games of three-on-three, four-on-four and five-on-five. Kelly did not play during the Lakers’ scrimmage that was open to the media that was open toward the tail end of Monday’s practice.

“I had to get the wind back a little bit and it’ll take some time,” Kelly said. “I’ll see how it feels tomorrow and go from there.”

The Lakers could use all the help they can get after opening the 2014-15 season with a league-worst four consecutive losses, including to the Suns (2-1).

Kelly’s return would likely enhance the team’s three-point shooting, which currently ranks 16th out of 30 NBA teams with a 31.6 percent clip. Kelly averaged eight points on 33.8 percent shooting his rookie season with the Lakers, his floor spacing as a so-called stretch forward proving a good fit under former coach Mike D’Antoni.

“I think that’s something I can do in spreading the floor,” Kelly said. “I can be helpful there. I’m unique in that way.”

Kelly stayed sidelined for mostly all of the Lakers’ training camp after injuring his left hamstring on the first practice. Two weeks ago, Kelly then injured his right hamstring in morning shootaround just when he believed he would return the lineup.

Lakers coach Byron Scott said Kelly “looked okay,” noting that he missed out on the team’s full contact scrimmage that was open to the media.

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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’ Ryan Kelly out vs. Jazz with right hamstring injury

It has already become this kind of season for the Lakers. As soon as they believe they make progress on having healthy players, another injury happens.

Lakers forward Ryan Kelly will miss tonight’s game against the Utah Jazz at Staples Center after injuring his right hamstring. Kelly had already been sidelined since training camp started with a strained left hamstring.

Scott said he hasn’t talked with Lakers trainer Gary Vitti about Kelly’s timetable, but it seems likely he will not play in any preseason games. The Lakers have three other exhibitions on Tuesday (vs. Phoenix at Staples Center), on Wednesday (vs. Portland in Ontario) and on Friday (vs. Sacramento in Las Vegas).

“He looked good until he hurt his other hamstring,” Scott said. “It’s not as bad as the first one.”

Meanwhile, Scott said Lakers guard Jeremy Lin remains a game-time decision after missing the past two exhibitions with a sprained left ankle. Lin was participating in shooting drills at the conclusion of morning shootaround, but the Lakers want to see how his ankle responds leading leading into the 6:30 p.m. tip time.

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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’ Ryan Kelly plans to play Sunday vs. Utah

Los Angeles Lakers Ryan Kelly (4) defends against Utah Jazz's Derrick Favors (15) in the first quarter during an NBA basketball game Monday, April 14, 2014, in Salt Lake City, Utah. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

Los Angeles Lakers Ryan Kelly (4) defends against Utah Jazz’s Derrick Favors (15) in the first quarter during an NBA basketball game Monday, April 14, 2014, in Salt Lake City, Utah. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

Finally, the Lakers have gone through a day where it appears they will add another healthy player to their roster.

After missing the first four exhibition games because of a strained left hamstring, Lakers forward Ryan Kelly plans to return Sunday against the Utah Jazz at Staples Center. That move will become official if Kelly goes through a five-on-five scrimmage on Saturday without any setbacks. This will mark the second consecutive season Kelly has entered training camp with an injury. Last year, Kelly spent his rookie season rehabbing his surgically repaired right foot before playing at the tail end of training camp.

“It’s very frustrating,” Kelly said. “But I try to look at the positive. There are worse times to be out in some ways. If you’re making a playoff run or pull a hamstring, that is the worst feeling you can possibly have I want to be out there with the guys and continue to learn the offense, but there are worse times.”
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Lakers depth chart breakdown: Ryan Kelly

Los Angeles Lakers Ryan Kelly (4) defends against Utah Jazz's Derrick Favors (15) in the first quarter during an NBA basketball game Monday, April 14, 2014, in Salt Lake City, Utah. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

Los Angeles Lakers Ryan Kelly (4) defends against Utah Jazz’s Derrick Favors (15) in the first quarter during an NBA basketball game Monday, April 14, 2014, in Salt Lake City, Utah. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

Below is the ninth in a series previewing the story lines surrounding each player on the Lakers’ roster for the 2014-15 season. This post focuses on Lakers forward Ryan Kelly.

1. Where does Kelly fit in the Lakers’ frontcourt?
It almost seems inevitable that one of the Lakers’ forwards will wind up losing in a game of musical chairs. Barring any major injuries, the Lakers will not be able to find a consistent and productive role for all of their power forwards, including Carlos Boozer, Ed Davis, Julius Randle and Kelly (playing each player 12 minutes a game would seem pretty counter productive). This left Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak acknowledging that coach Byron Scott may resort toward playing small for a number of reasons.

The Lakers do not have any player listed above seven feet, leaving Jordan Hill and Robert Sacre as the lone true centers. The Lakers’ glut of forwards could leave opportunity for someone, such as Kelly, to play at small forward. That might become a reality for Kelly given his strong outside shooting and floor spacing. But that creates a whole other list of challenges. He would then compete for minutes against Nick Young, Wesley Johnson and Xavier Henry, all of whom may also see some time at shooting guard. Regardless of how this plays out, it seems clear that Kelly enters the 2014-15 season with a number of unpredictable variables that could determine his role. Given Kelly’s professional and hard-working personality, it appears he will understand such issues. But it creates an additional challenge that Kelly must master.
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How will Ryan Kelly fit under Byron Scott’s system?

The Lakers’ Ryan Kelly and Nick Young celebrate a shot late in the 4th quarter The Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Lakers 120 to 118 in a regular season NBA game at Staples Center. Los Angeles, CA January 14, 2014.(John McCoy/Los Angeles Daily News)

The Lakers’ Ryan Kelly and Nick Young celebrate a shot late in the 4th quarter The Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Lakers 120 to 118 in a regular season NBA game at Staples Center. Los Angeles, CA January 14, 2014.(John McCoy/Los Angeles Daily News)

To think, just a year ago questions persisted on whether Ryan Kelly would actually land on a Lakers’ roster.

Kelly still faced a lengthy rehabilitation process on a right foot injury that sidelined him for the entire 2013 offseason and parts of training camp. With the Lakers selecting him 48th overall in the 2013 NBA draft, Kelly had a non-guaranteed contract. Yet, the Lakers’ overlapping injuries, Mike D’Antoni’s open-court offense and Kelly’s work ethic and smarts as a stretch forward led to a consistent spot on the rotation.

All of that spurred the Lakers to sign Kelly to a two-year deal worth around $3.5 million. But how will Kelly build on that foundation in his second season? Time Warner Cable Access SportsNet host Chris McGee, analyst Dave Miller and I addressed that subject during part of Wednesday’s show noting the Lakers’ various offseason developments.

Miller, who served as an assistant under Byron Scott with New Orleans from 2005 to 2007, mentioned that Scott’s Princeton-based offense will tap into Kelly’s strong principles in shooting, passing and cutting. I mentioned how Kelly could still encounter some challenges by virtue of a more loaded frontcourt that features Julius Randle, Jordan Hill, Carlos Boozer and Ed Davis. We both highlighted how Kelly’s efforts to improve his strength, including taking MMA training, could help bolster his physical presence inside.

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

Lakers officially sign Ryan Kelly to two-year deal

Los Angeles Lakers Ryan Kelly (4) defends against Utah Jazz's Derrick Favors (15) in the first quarter during an NBA basketball game Monday, April 14, 2014, in Salt Lake City, Utah. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

Los Angeles Lakers Ryan Kelly (4) defends against Utah Jazz’s Derrick Favors (15) in the first quarter during an NBA basketball game Monday, April 14, 2014, in Salt Lake City, Utah. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

The Lakers spent part of their day on Monday finishing up a bunch of paperwork. Shortly after announcing the Lakers signed Nick Young’s four-year deal worth $21.5 million, the Lakers announced that Ryan Kelly signed his contract.

The Lakers did not divulge the terms of Kelly’s contract. But it is a two-year deal a little shy of $3.5 million with no options, according to a league source familiar with the terms. The Lakers used their $2.7 million exception on his deal.

“When we extended a qualifying offer to Ryan in June, we fully expected him to be a part of our future,” Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak said in a statement. “Ryan did everything we asked of him as a rookie and showed great promise and potential. After rehabbing an injury last summer, he will have the benefit of a full offseason regimen and training camp for the first time in his NBA career, and we anticipate further development as a result.”

Kelly had missed parts of training camp while rehabbing a surgically repaired right foot. But the 48th pick of the 2013 NBA draft quickly made an impression on the Lakers with his work ethic, shooting and floor spacing. Kelly, who averaged eight points and 3.7 rebounds in 22.2 minutes per game, started in 22 of his 59 appearances. Kelly also joined Kobe Bryant and Eddie Jones as the third Lakers rookie in the last 20 years to score at least 17 points in consecutive games.

The Lakers believe Kelly went through some growing pains with adapting to the physical nature of the NBA and on defense. But they saw improvement because of his strong fundamentals and basketball IQ, two ingredients the Lakers believe will spur his growth.

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

Lakers to bring back Ryan Kelly

Photo: Keith Birmingham Pasadena Star-News

Photo: Keith Birmingham Pasadena Star-News

In what marks one of the few final moves during free agency, Ryan Kelly agreed to a deal to return to the Lakers, according to a league source familiar with the situation. The terms were not readily available, but it was likely either a one or two-year deal.

The Lakers expected they would bring Kelly back barring the second-year forward attracting a high offer elsewhere. After the Lakers selected him with the 48th pick of the 2013 NBA draft, Kelly impressed the Lakers with his floor spacing, basketball IQ and shooting. All of those qualities contributed toward averaging eight points on 42.3 percent shooting and 33.8 percent from three-point range. The Lakers also granted Kelly a $1.1 million qualifying offer to make him a restricted free agent, which gave them the right to match any offersheet he received. Kelly made $490,180 last season and would have likely only needed a slight raise to keep him.

Questions abound on how Kelly can improve on his defense and to what degree his game benefitted from former Lakers coach Mike D’Antoni, whose fast-paced system puts a heavy emphasis on a so-called stretch forward to make outside shots and stretch the floor. But Kelly’s work ethic and fundamentally sound play suggests his development will grow.

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

NBA free agency: Lakers make Ryan Kelly restricted free agent

in the first quarter during an NBA basketball game in Los Angeles, Calif., on Friday, April 4, 2014.  (Keith Birmingham Pasadena Star-News)

in the first quarter during an NBA basketball game in Los Angeles, Calif., on Friday, April 4, 2014.
(Keith Birmingham Pasadena Star-News)

The Lakers took a small step in providing clarity to their nearly barren roster, extending reserve forward Ryan Kelly with a $1.1 million qualifying offer that will make him a restricted free agent.

The move was expected after Kelly averaged eight points on 42.3 percent shooting and 33.8 percent from three-point range after the Lakers selected him with the 48th pick of the 2013 NBA Draft. The Lakers went against offering an extended qualifying offer to reserve forward Kent Bazemore in hopes to maximize cap space to pursue LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony in free agency.

The Lakers have a $3 million cap hold to secure Kelly, but he likely gained the edge because there are fewer power forwards he will have to compete on the open market than Bazemore. Kelly made $490,180 this season and would likely only need a slight raise to secure him. By making Kelly a restricted free agent, the Lakers have the right to match any offer he receives from other teams. Although Kelly will entertain those offers, he prefers playing with the Lakers after receiving plenty of opportunities to develop.

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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