24 Dec

Lakers may acquire Bulls’ $215.2 million star by parting with LeBron James

“The Chicago Bulls making a push for LeBron James would signal their intent to reclaim relevance and make a legitimate run in the East,” Fadeaway World’s Eddie Bitar wrote Thursday.

“Zach LaVine, a two-time All-Star with elite scoring ability (22.1 points per game), gives the Lakers an offensive centerpiece to pair with Anthony Davis. Matas Buzelis, a highly touted rookie with size, skill, and immense upside, could be a cornerstone for Los Angeles’ long-term future.”

“For Chicago, the deal would instantly revitalize the franchise. LeBron, even at 40, brings unmatched basketball IQ, leadership, and a chance to make noise in the playoffs as the greatest talent for the franchise since Michael Jordan.”

“Adding Bronny (James) to the mix also gives the Bulls a youthful storyline, complementing veterans like Nikola Vucevic.”

The Bulls may be struggling to make noise in the Eastern Conference, but LaVine is enjoying one of the most efficient seasons of his career, averaging 21.7 points on 50.1% shooting from the field and 42.8% shooting from beyond the arc.

As a frightening 6-foot-5 guard with zero noticeable offensive limitations, LaVine would provide the Lakers with a frightening three-level scorer who desperately wants to achieve team success.

However, James, Los Angeles’ do-it-all forward who’s nearly averaging a triple-double, still has plenty of juice left in the tank and would love to finish his career with the Lakers.

In an ideal world, the Lakers would find a way to acquire a versatile offensive weapon in LaVine while retaining the heart and soul of their struggling ball club.

24 Dec

Warriors to reportedly acquire Nets guard to bolster bench

Schröder is enjoying a fast start to the season in Brooklyn. Through 23 games, he’s averaging 18.4 points, 6.6 assists and 3.0 rebounds while shooting 45.2 percent from the field and 38.7 percent from 3-point range. He joins a Warriors team that has lost seven of nine games after a hot 12-3 start to the season.

The trade is expected to be finalized on Sunday, Dec. 15, which is when a large group of NBA players becomes trade-eligible. Ahead of the calls that will make the deal official, here is everything to know about the trade.

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Dennis Schroder trade details
Warriors receive

Dennis Schröder
Second-round pick
Nets receive:

De’Anthony Melton
Reece Beekman
Three second-round picks
NBA insiders Jake Fischer and Marc Stein reported that Golden State and Brooklyn have agreed on a deal sending Schröder to the Bay in exchange for Melton. The reports indicate that the Warriors will not send out any first-round draft capital.

24 Dec

76ers may consider reunion with available fan favorite after Joel Embiid’s injury

And now, another potential reunion could happen. Charania reported that the Detroit Pistons have waived former Sixers center Paul Reed.

Reed was a fan favorite during his time with the Sixers. He played so well as Joel Embiid’s backup that he earned the nickname “Bball Paul.”

The Sixers waived him during the offseason not because they were dissatisfied with his performance but because they wanted to open up the cap room necessary to add players like Paul George and Caleb Martin.

The Sixers can legally reunite with Reed
Anyone with basic knowledge of the NBA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement may think that Reed can’t return to the Sixers for a year because they waived him.

However, that rule only applies to players who are traded. That doesn’t apply to what the Sixers did with Reed, so that means they can bring him back when he clears waivers.

Reed did not have the best performance with the Pistons. In 12 games, he averaged 4.8 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 0.8 steals while shooting nearly 54% from the field. Even so, it’d be hard to see why he wouldn’t have much of a market if and when he becomes a free agent.

Because of his familiarity with the Sixers, he makes sense as a potential target. With Joel Embiid out until further notice, Reed would be a valuable placeholder until he returns.

The one qualm is that he may not want to compete with Andre Drummond for backup center minutes. However, if the Sixers were to part ways with Drummond again before the trade deadline, Reed would have the opportunity to get his old job back in Philadelphia.

24 Dec

NBA fans react to devastating news about 76ers rookie Jared McCain’s injury

Bleacher Report’s Jake Fischer reported that McCain will be out indefinitely once he gets surgery on his torn meniscus.

Making matters worse is that this is just the latest of the many nagging injuries that have plagued the Sixers’ season. Fans, of course, were dismayed by the latest news.

“Absolutely unbelievable,” one fan wrote, while another wrote, “Devastating news. Just horrible.”

Another posted a GIF of Kirsten Bell in The Good Place, saying, “This is the bad place!” to emphasize where the Sixers are this season.

Even non-Sixers fans completely sympathize with what’s happened to them this season following the McCain news.

“This is one of the most unlucky years for a team we’ve seen in the sport,” one non-Sixers fan wrote.

McCain has endeared himself to fans this year because of his historically impressive production and charming personality.

All hope is not lost with McCain
Meniscus tears aren’t always the automatic season-ending injury that an ACL tear is. Sometimes they are, but other times, it isn’t for too long. They vary depending on the severity and the recovery time.

It might be a little obnoxious to look at the glass half-full here, but since the season is still pretty young, there’s a puncher’s chance that McCain could return before the season’s end.

Again, it will depend on how bad the tear was. Also, as long as Embiid’s injury isn’t too serious, the Sixers can stabilize without McCain.

It’s just such a shame that such a bright light to an awful season may have potentially seen his season end prematurely.

24 Dec

How long is Jared McCain out? Knee injury timeline, return date, latest updates on 76ers rookie

With McCain’s injury, the Sixers have now had to navigate serious injuries to their star rookie and each member of the All-Star trio of Joel Embiid, Paul George and Tyrese Maxey. Making matters worse is that Embiid also suffered an injury in the same game as McCain.

What’s next for McCain? Here is what is known about his injury and what it means for him and the 76ers moving forward.

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What is Jared McCain’s injury?
McCain has a lateral meniscus tear in his left knee.

The 76ers announced the injury on Dec. 14. McCain is said to have reported knee soreness following the team’s loss to the Pacers. The injury required surgery.

McCain played 29 minutes against the Pacers, finishing with five points on 2-for-6 shooting.

MORE: Ranking best trade destinations for Heat’s Jimmy Butler

How long will Jared McCain be out?
McCain is out indefinitely, the 76ers announced on Dec. 14.

The amount of time McCain misses will depend on the type of surgery he underwent. McCain either underwent meniscal repair or a partial meniscectomy.

As outlined by medical expert Dr. Michael S. George of the KSF Orthopedic Center in Houston, recovery time from a meniscus repair is four to six months. After a partial meniscectomy, the patient can walk without crutches immediately and return to the court in four to six weeks.

24 Dec

Lakers predicted to cut ties with $109 million father-son duo via trade to Warriors

“It seems unlikely that LeBron James would waive his no-trade clause, but if he does, any trade the Los Angeles Lakers make would likely have to include Bronny James as well,” Fansided’s Luke Norris wrote Friday.

“The upside here is that the Warriors were interested in bringing Bronny to San Francisco anyway but opted not to so LeBron could realize his dream of playing alongside his son.”

“As you can see above, we’ve got the Warriors shipping Andrew Wiggins, Jonathan Kuminga, Lindy Waters, and De’Anthony Melton to the Lakers to acquire the James gang. There would likely need to be a first-round draft pick in there as well.”

“Now, it might not seem as if the Dubs are giving up all that much. But one has to remember that while LeBron is still playing at an extremely high level, he’s also about to turn 40 on December 30.”

“So, it’s somewhat difficult to calculate exactly what his trade value might be at this point.”

“The Warriors have long dreamt about pairing James alongside Steph Curry and Draymond Green, and this could be enough to get that done. Wiggins has returned to form this season, and Kuminga has had a solid season thus far as well.”

“Melton is out for the year with an ACL injury but his expiring $12.8 million contract could still be attractive to the Lakers as long as draft compensation is included. And LA also comes out ahead, as Waters is a better bench option than Bronny at this point.”

While James has proven to be an impactful superstar with the Lakers at age 39, he isn’t on his way to winning a championship in Year 22.

James is pulling his weight early on, averaging 23.0 points, 9.1 assists, and 8.0 rebounds per game, but the Lakers’ consistency on both ends of the floor has been non-existent.

James’ son, Bronny, hasn’t enjoyed much success in the NBA, but he’s currently thriving in the G League and receiving valuable reps as the No. 55 overall pick in the 2024 draft.

The idea of the first father-son duo in NBA history joining the Warriors is appealing.

However, considering the Warriors are preparing to swap Melton for Brooklyn Nets point guard Dennis Schröder, this specific trade proposal won’t come to fruition.