The Los Angeles Lakers announced JJ Redick as the team’s new head coach on Monday afternoon. A league source told Yahoo Sports that Redick had been on the phone with Lakers players over the weekend to explain his vision for their specific roles. Redick gave the impression to many players and their agents that the new head coach would emphasize positional versatility, three-point shooting and playmaking in a lineup that would get the most out of LeBron James without the ball, according to the source.
The idea that Los Angeles could target a center next to Anthony Davis has circulated again among league insiders as the Lakers enter the remainder of a crucial offseason. Since then, the Lakers, who selected 17th overall in Wednesday’s NBA draft, have been linked to several centers, including Baylor freshman Yves Missi and Indiana sophomore K’rel Ware. Pelicans center Jonas Valanciunas, who is approaching unrestricted free agency, is another big man whose name is frequently mentioned by NBA insiders as a possible addition to the Lakers’ frontcourt this summer.
Los Angeles also has the 17th pick available in a trade, according to sources, as the Lakers evaluate the market for a key player alongside James and Davis. Keep in mind, the Lakers held serious talks with Atlanta about acquiring Dejounte Murray before the trade deadline in February. Jerami Grant, a client of Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul, is also thought to be among the players who could be on the Lakers’ wish list, according to league sources.
There’s also the simpler scenario of the Lakers dropping down from No. 17. The New York Knicks and Utah Jazz are planning to combine their final first-round picks and second-round picks to slide to No. 10 in this draft, an executive from a rival team told Yahoo Sports. Would Utah’s No. 29 and No. 32 picks be enough to move the Lakers down from their original ranking? Either pick would give Los Angeles a chance to select Bronny James earlier than the Lakers’ current second-round pick at No. 55.
Utah Selectivity
The Jazz also hold the 10th pick in Wednesday’s rankings, ahead of the 29th and 32nd picks, as well as the benefit of future draft capital from big-name players in Utah’s Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell. The Jazz will also have about $40 million in cap space before considering contract extension talks with All-Star forward Lauri Markkanen. This setup under Utah CEO Danny Ainge and general manager Justin Zanik has long been considered creative and advantageous after the Jazz tried to trade up from the ninth pick in last June’s draft, sources said. Utah also explored acquiring Damian Lillard and Jrue Holiday last fall.
So what’s the next big move for the Jazz? Brooklyn Nets swingman Mikal Bridges is one of Utah’s most aggressive aspirations, according to league sources. The Jazz are said to be among the teams that have inquired about the possibility of acquiring the 27-year-old swingman from Brooklyn, along with Houston, who has the No. 3 pick, and New York, where three of Bridges’ college teammates now play. The Jazz have enough salary reserves to send veterans John Collins ($26.5 million) and Jordan Clarkson ($14 million) in any deal, plus the ability to trade into their own cap room.
The team with the next pick after Houston has argued that the team is willing to move the No. 3 pick to try to win, with the team expected to pick up Jayshawn Tate’s team option and guarantee the salaries of Jeff Green and Jock Landale as possible money that could come out in a trade package, sources said.
Brooklyn trade-in?
The Nets have been active in trying to make a trade in this week’s draft, as Brooklyn doesn’t currently hold a pick, according to league sources. The Nets have already communicated their No. 20 pick to the front office, and many teams seem open to doing business by moving out of the first round entirely, dropping down or into the second round.
Phoenix, with the No. 22 draft pick, New York at No. 25, Minnesota at No. 27, Utah at No. 29 and Boston at No. 30 are considering various trade scenarios in both directions, according to sources.
