Lakers Don't Make Any Deals Ahead Of Trade Deadline
The Lakers didn't make any deals before Thursday's trade deadline. They were at a shootaround as the final deals were being finalized around the league.
LeBron James said there was no tension among the players during that time. And Anthony Davis added that there's been little chatter among the players about all of the moves.
"I don't think we checked it," Davis said. "I mean, obviously everyone has the ESPN app and the NBA app, so it comes to your phone. So we don't go out -- well, I don't go out checking for it. We don't [say], 'Did you guys see this trade, this is happening.' We haven't done that."
Lakers' general manager Rob Pelinka consulted with James and Davis on personnel moves this past offseason. When asked if Pelinka did the same thing ahead of Thursday's deadline, James said, "I think that's a Rob question."
The Lakers, who have the best record in the Western Conference at 38-11, host the Houston Rockets on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. at Staples Center. The Rockets are in fourth-place in the Western Conference with a record of 32-18.
James weighed in on the Rockets' moves to get smaller.
"They're already shooting 45, 50 threes a game," James said. "Now they're going to go to 60, 65 threes. That creates challenges for everyone in the league because you have to be on your toes and guarding a guy who is averaging almost 40, and guarding a guy who has averaged triple-doubles in seasons before. So it creates a lot more space for Russ [Westbrook] and [James] Harden. So it's going to be very challenging not only for us, but for the rest of the league, because they're going extremely small with a bunch of shooters."
The Rockets made a four-team, 12-player deal to acquire Robert Covington on Wednesday, sending Clint Capela to the Atlanta Hawks. Then they made another deal, reportedly sending Jordan Bell, whom the Rockets acquired from the Minnesota Timberwolves in Wednesday's deal, to the Memphis Grizzlies in exchange for Bruno Caboclo, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.
James also commented on a deal that sent Memphis' Andre Iguodala to the Miami Heat.
"I saw it and was like, ‘OK.’ I think it makes them a better team because of his championship DNA," James said. "You add that to that championship culture down there, and so it helps them right away in that sense. I know that Dre is happy to be probably suiting back up very soon."
Iguodala sat out the first three months of the season after the Golden State Warriors traded him to Memphis last offseason in exchange for a 2024 first-round pick.
When James was asked if he's talked to Iguodala about what this year has been like for him, he declined to answer.
"Ah, that’s personal," James said.
