Lakers – Syndication Server

Austin Reaves Q&A: Lakers travel stories, D’Angelo Russell’s free agency, LeBron James’ future, Anthony Davis, Nuggets rematch

Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves discussed how he travels privately during the offseason by booking hotels and flights, a wild travel story with the Lakers in Portland, what happens on the team flight after games, the possibility of being a Laker for life, D’Angelo Russell’s free agency, what he’s learned from LeBron James, why Anthony Davis should be in the Defensive Player of the Year conversation, and the chip on the team’s shoulder going up against the Denver Nuggets in a playoff rematch with HoopsHype Senior NBA Insider Michael Scotto.

On his path from an undrafted rookie to stardom with the Los Angeles Lakers, Austin Reaves has had many memorable moments in hotels, including a life-changing call to play in the NBA while in El Segundo, California, and avoiding a fire while playing for the Lakers at a Portland hotel.

“I was in there for probably two months and got a call from my agent (Aaron Reilly), and it was them offering me a regular contract that, for me, was the start of my journey, so the Residence Inn always has a special place in my heart,” Reaves said during a Hotels.com “Perfect 10” digital content segment.

Following his segment, Reaves spoke with HoopsHype and discussed how he travels privately during the offseason when booking hotels and flights, a wild travel story with the Lakers in Portland, what happens on the team flight after games, the possibility of being a Laker for life, D’Angelo Russell’s free agency, what he’s learned from LeBron James, why Anthony Davis should be in the Defensive Player of the Year conversation, and the chip on the team’s shoulder going up against the Denver Nuggets in a playoff rematch.

Top 50 highest-paid NBA players who never made an All-NBA team

HoopsHype lists the Top 50 NBA players who made the most money and never made an All-NBA team.

Did you know 22 players in NBA history have made over $150 million without earning an All-NBA selection?

HoopsHype ranked the 50 highest-paid players who never made an All-NBA selection, combining to earn over $8 billion, according to our database.

HoopsHype’s Alberto de Roa contributed research to this report.

D’Angelo Russell: ‘The language Kobe Bryant spoke was foreign to me at the time’

Lakers guard D’Angelo Russell discussed the similarities and differences between playing alongside LeBron James and Kobe Bryant, the unfair injury-prone label on Anthony Davis, his bond with Austin Reaves, and more with HoopsHype Senior NBA Insider Michael Scotto.

Los Angeles Lakers guard D’Angelo Russell recently discussed how he’s handled the pressure of a contract season and wants to remain a Laker in free agency this summer as part of a lengthy interview with HoopsHype.

In the remainder of the interview, Russell explained how the birth of his son, Riley, has changed his life, the similarities and differences between playing alongside LeBron James and Kobe Bryant, how the season has gone for the Lakers, the unfair injury-prone label on Anthony Davis, his bond with Austin Reaves, and more below.

Is Lakers guard D’Angelo Russell an underrated free agent?

Lakers guard D’Angelo Russell free agency preview and why he’s underrated amid a career year from HoopsHype’s NBA Insider Michael Scotto.

Los Angeles Lakers guard D’Angelo Russell is playing the best basketball of his career in his prime, and it couldn’t have come at a better time.

This season, Russell has shot more efficiently than his All-Star campaign in Brooklyn, shooting 42.3 percent from 3-point range, which ranks third among players ranked in the NBA’s Top 25 in made threes per game.

Since Russell’s son, Riley, was born on September 24, 2022, Russell has averaged 18.0 points on 46.6 percent shooting from the field and 40.9 percent from 3-point range, 6.3 assists, and 3.0 rebounds with a plus-215 rating in 137 games.

According to Russell, the birth of his son helped him know his purpose in every game.

“Everything I do, I’d see his face,” Russell told HoopsHype. “It’s either this or that. What are you going to do? It makes my decision easy when it comes to anything. It does have a change and effect on you. It puts you in this state of mind that it’s mine or I’ll die for it. It’s been good.”

Russell has an upcoming decision on his $18.69 million player option for the 2024-25 season and is considered one of the top free agents on the market should he decline to exercise his player option and become an unrestricted free agent.

“It’s definitely pressure,” Russell told HoopsHype when asked what it’s like playing in a potential contract season. “It’s something that can eat a lot of people up in the league. A lot of people can be too high at times and too low at times, which causes an emotional roller coaster through the ups and downs of the season. For me, I wanted to control that. I wanted to stay sane and stay even-keeled through the ups and the downs.”

While thriving under the pressure of a contract season, Russell could be of interest to several teams looking for point guard help during free agency this summer.

LOOK: Jason Segel from ‘How I met your mother’ at Lakers game and other pictures of the day in the NBA

Top 25 NBA players who never won MVP

HoopsHype lists the Top 25 NBA players who never won the MVP award.

Over the past 15 seasons, four players have won a majority of the MVP awards: LeBron James (four), Stephen Curry (twice), Giannis Antetokounmpo (twice), and Nikola Jokic (twice).

Joel Embiid, James Harden, Russell Westbrook, Kevin Durant, and Derrick Rose were among the few to crack that list amid the dominance of the big four listed above and win their only MVP award in that span.

So who are some of the NBA’s greatest players of all time who weren’t able to win an MVP and break through their era of dominant players?

HoopsHype examined the Top 25 players to never win MVP from our 77 greatest players ever list to find out.

NBA Intel: A near trade deadline deal and buyout market updates

Reporting on 76ers and Bulls trade talks for Andre Drummond fell through, more potential buyout candidates, a Nerlens Noel update, and more from HoopsHype Senior NBA Insider Michael Scotto.

Following the NBA trade deadline, HoopsHype has gathered new intel on trade talks that fell through between the 76ers and Bulls, reporting on how the buyout market took shape behind the scenes for Danilo Gallinari and Thaddeus Young, whether more buyout candidates could hit the market and a Nerlens Noel update.

NBA Trade Deadline Rumors: The latest intel on all 30 teams

HoopsHype Senior NBA Insider Michael Scotto reports on the latest intel on all 30 NBA teams ahead of the trade deadline.

With hours until the NBA trade deadline, here’s the latest intel on all 30 teams gathered by HoopsHype. This story will be updated with any new intel as the deadline nears.

NBA Trade Deadline Intel: Lakers, Celtics, Bulls, Cavs, Mavs, Nets, Pistons, Wizards, Grizzlies, Wolves

NBA trade deadline intel reporting on the Lakers, Celtics, Bulls, Cavaliers, Mavericks, Nets, Pistons, Wizards, Grizzlies, and Timberwolves from HoopsHype Senior NBA Insider Michael Scotto.

With the start of NBA trade deadline week upon us, here’s the latest intel gathered by HoopsHype on the Los Angeles Lakers, Boston Celtics, Chicago Bulls, Cleveland Cavaliers, Dallas Mavericks, Brooklyn Nets, Detroit Pistons, Los Angeles Clippers, Washington Wizards, Memphis Grizzlies, and Minnesota Timberwolves.