Lakers rumors have not stopped despite the team missing out on Marcus Morris, and J.R. Smith has emerged as a potential option. Meet Scoop B. Robinson, the man who broke the news last month, who provides some insight into the situation and shares his thoughts on Kobe Bryant as well.
Lakers rumors will be the rage for the next week now that the Los Angeles Lakers allowed the trade deadline to pass without making any deals to move Kyle Kuzma. Several hours later, fans questioned the team’s motives after the disastrous loss to the “small ball” Houston Rockets on national TV.
With potential free agent Darren Collison sitting next to Lakers’ owner Jeanie Buss at the game, the two parties will be heavily linked while Darren still contemplates even coming back to the NBA. Even if he does, the Lakers have some competition from the Clippers to land him.
With Rob Pelinka not making any moves at the trade deadline, it appears the buyout route was the plan all along. He is not putting all his eggs in one basket waiting for Darren Collison to make a decision as he did with Kawhi Leonard this offseason. He is already looking at other free agency additions.
When the trade deadline ended, Lakers rumors exploded almost immediately that the team was planning to bring Smith in for a workout.
Most media outlets reported that Marc Stein of the New York Times broke the story.
The Lakers are expected to give free agent guard JR Smith a post-trade deadline audition (perhaps as soon as next week) and remain favorites to sign Darren Collison if Collison elects to make a comeback to the NBA -- in addition to potential pickups on the buyout market
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) February 6, 2020
Lake Show Life knew about the workout two weeks prior to this announcement. It was known because it was reported by NBA insider Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson before the tragic helicopter crash that rocked Lakers Nation.
Notice the dates of the two tweets at the bottom. J.R. Smith was to be brought in sooner but it was pushed back because of obvious reasons.
https://twitter.com/ScoopB/status/1221282899711971333
The move to bring in Smith will be just as polarizing as the decision to bring in Dwight Howard after DeMarcus Cousins blew out his knee. Lake Show Life thought it was a good idea one week before his workout and eventual signing.
Like J.R., he had not played any meaningful NBA basketball (nine games before back surgery last season!) in more than a year and things worked out. The Lakers’ front office seemingly wants to roll the dice again.
Lake Show Life again wants to remind Lakers Nation that if the Lakers were going to add J.R. Smith, Darren Collison or any other potential free agent, a player on the roster must be cut. The Lakers currently, have the NBA maximum of 15 players already.
Lake Show Life has gone over the options in these pieces here from Darren Collison to every Kuzma rumor piece for the last six weeks.
Lakers Rumors: Darren Collison considers a return to Lakers or Clippers.
Lakers Rumors: Should Lakers Nation believe these Kyle Kuzma rumors?
Lakers Rumors: Should Lakers Nation believe these trade rumors or not?
But let’s go over the cliff notes version, shall we? As of this writing, the most likely candidates would be these players.
DeMarcus Cousins:
As time goes along, it is unclear if he will play this year. Taking things further, it’s even harder to discern what he can contribute come playoff time.
Even if he was released, he could continue rehabbing with the team to get ready for next season. If Collison makes the decision to go across the hall to the Clippers, he’s done.
Sadly he is a dead man walking at this point. His contract is the easiest to get rid of on the books. He has never made Vogel’s rotation, fair or unfair at this point.
Lake Show Life is dead set against waiving Cook, but it is an option and he has to be put on the list. Unlike Troy Daniels, Cook has playoff experience. If none of the free agents worked out, he deserves some of Rajon Rondo‘s minutes. We’re just being thorough here.
Again for theory sake, he’s on the list. Lake Show Life doesn’t see him going anywhere because he is the ultimate locker room professional. Again people don’t know how difficult being happy with being the last guy on the bench. Dudley is that guy and seems to be always ready when called on. That’s a skill set folks.
J.R. Smith shot 37.5 percent from the land of three in the Cleveland Cavaliers last NBA Finals back in 2017-18 (More on that later!) and theoretically (Also read hopefully!) would be an upgrade at the shooting position. Whether he plays guard in the big lineup or wing in the small lineup, it doesn’t matter.
Lake Show Life welcomes Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson, the host of the Scoop B Radio Podcast, senior writer at Basketball Society & Heavy.com.
With television and radio stops at CBS, NBC & MSG Networks, he’s also been a staff writer at
The Source Magazine, managing editor & columnist at RESPECT. Magazine and has appeared
in the video game, NBA 2K. With a journalism career in radio at 12 years old hosting Nets
Slammin Planet on AM radio in the 90s with the then-New Jersey Nets.
In short, he’s qualified and credentialed. Let’s get the inside track on the latest player on the Lakers rumors list.