LA Lakers Rumors Roundup: Patrick Beverley and Russell Westbrook motivated to work alongside, Indiana Pacers were hoping to land Westbrook along with Talen Horton-Tucker, and more - September 1st, 2022
The Lakers" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-is-sponsored="false">LA Lakers begin their preseason schedule on Oct. 3 against the Sacramento Kings. They have six preseason games against conference opponents like the Kings, Suns, minnesota-timberwolves" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-is-sponsored="false">Timberwolves and the Warriors. The Purple and Gold has 39 nationally televised games this season, the second-most in the league after the Dubs (42).
As the new season inches closer, the front office is desperately trying to improve the roster before training camp begins. Let's take a look at some rumors around the Lakers in the last 24 hours.
LA Lakers would like to pay and keep Austin Reaves for the foreseeable future
Austin Reaves shone in his rookie season last year and often started games for the LA Lakers. The 23-year-old undrafted player from Oklahoma averaged 7.3 points, 1.8 assists and 3.2 rebounds per game on 46/31/87 shooting splits. He was rumored to be the starting guard in the upcoming season until the Lakers traded for Patrick Beverley.
According to HoopsHype's Michael Scotto, the Lakers are interested in continuing their partnership with Reaves. He reported:
"I asked one NBA coach about Austin, and he told me, 'Austin Reaves is really good and better than I thought. He's versatile. He's a good on-ball defender. He makes the right play offensively. He finds ways to impact the game and do the little things to help.'
"From everything I've gathered, he'd like to stay in LA and get a pay raise, and the Lakers would like to keep him."
Mike Scotto on Austin Reaves:
“From everything I’ve gathered, he’d like to stay in LA and get a pay raise, and the Lakers would like to keep him.”
🔥🔥🔥
(via @MikeAScotto, hoopshype.com/lists/lakers-r…) https://t.co/QDwKLROWHw
Darvin Ham will start Patrick Beverley and Russell Westbrook together
Russell Westbrook and Patrick Beverley have a rocky history, and that's one of the reasons why fans were skeptical about the trade for Beverley. However, according to NBA journalist Marc Stein, the two stars have buried the hatchet and new coach Darvin Ham will start them in the backcourt together.
When asked about playing with Westbrook, Beverley said:
"We excited and we hungry. Watch us work."
Russell Westbrook and Patrick Beverley have already been in contact since becoming Lakers teammates, league sources tell me, and new coach Darvin Ham has told them he has lineups in mind to play Russ and PatBev side-by-side.
More around-the-NBA notes: marcstein.substack.com/p/nba-notes-on…
Indiana Pacers were hoping to land Russell Westbrook in a trade involving Buddy Hield and Myles Turner
There were a lot of rumors this summer linking Buddy Hield and Myles Turner to the Lakers as the two were on their wish list for the past two seasons.
Talen Horton-Tucker, along with first-round picks, was the primary target for a rebuilding franchise like the Indiana Pacers, although no deal materialized. Indiana was initially hoping to offer Hield, Turner and Daniel Theis in exchange for THT, Westbrook and the two first-round picks, as per HoopsHype's Michael Scotto.
Scotto reported on the "HoopsHype podcast" that the Pacers were expecting some deal to finalize. But now that THT is on his way to Minnesota, any possible trade is off the table.
REPORT: The Pacers initially hoped to acquire Russell Westbrook, two first-round picks and Talen Horton-Tucker from Lakers in return for Myles Turner, Buddy Hield and Daniel Theis.
(via @MikeAScotto, open.spotify.com/episode/2YviAP…) https://t.co/vni9y20kyg