Darvin Ham to run Lakers’ offense through Anthony Davis

LeBron caught a glimpse of the new unis and he could not help but take to Instagram to share his hyped reaction to the new jerseys they’ll be dawning in 2022-23. He decided to tag Lakers teammate Anthony Davis, who himself had an equally mind-blown reaction (h/t Jonathan Sherman of Lakers Daily): -via Clutch Points / August 9, 2022

If James were to agree to an extension, the Lakers could be more aggressive in trade discussions for players with multiple years remaining on their contracts. If James passes on a long-term deal, the team, at a minimum, has a relatively clean cap sheet next summer with only Anthony Davis and rookie Max Christie under contract. Talen Horton-Tucker and Damian Jones have player options next summer, as well. Any clues about James’ preferences, at this point, are merely guesses. -via Los Angeles Times / August 4, 2022

John Calipari: This is what makes you proud as a coach. I didn’t want to ask any of our former guys for help since six months ago they gave to the tornado victims in west Kentucky, but without my asking, @AntDavis23 got in touch with me tonight. After watching all of the devastation and, knowing what our players did tonight – he has offered to give $350,000 to the Kentucky Flood Relief. That’s servant leadership in action, that’s staying connected to this program and this state. Love you, Ant. -via Twitter / August 3, 2022

James is finalizing a destination to host the team’s annual minicamp prior to training camp, with San Diego being the likely landing space over Las Vegas, sources said. He’s hoping to build a better rapport with teammates before entering the 2022-23 season. The meeting was deemed productive and informative. Pelinka made his feelings clear that he wants James to retire as a Laker and promised to provide him with every resource possible to compete for a championship each year he’s with the organization, sources said. -via Yahoo! Sports / August 10, 2022

And while contract dialogue was broached, the majority of the hour-long meeting was about expressing concerns, and hearing out strategies and opinions to assure there wouldn’t be a repeat of last season’s epic failure, league sources told Yahoo Sports. James, sources said, drilled home the importance of consistent competitiveness and cohesion, noting that last season’s team didn’t give themselves a chance on many nights. The focus for the future Hall of Famer is competing every night in order to give themselves a chance to compete for a championship. -via Yahoo! Sports / August 10, 2022

James, who turns 38 in December, can negotiate an extension through the end of next June, providing a long runway before any decision needs to be made. However, the prospect of James playing out the final year of his current contract without further agreement could turn into a significant distraction during Darvin Ham’s first year as the Lakers’ coach. James, though, could use pending free agency as leverage, forcing the Lakers into strengthening their roster by forfeiting even more future draft picks. The Lakers, according to people with knowledge of the situation said, haven’t shown interest in deals requiring them to trade both their 2027 and 2029 first-round picks. The team has also resisted taking on long-term contracts in deals. -via Los Angeles Times / August 4, 2022