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DeMar DeRozan felt honored and blessed to have played with LA Lakers superstar LeBron James in a Drew League game. The Chicago Bulls All-Star guard and the four-time NBA MVP teamed up to lead the MMV Cheaters over the Black Pearl Elite.
Jeanie Buss pushes back at critics on how she has been handling the LA Lakers, particularly over the last few years. She insists that the collaborative method is the best way to manage the team.
Kendrick Nunn watched with disappointment as he couldn’t help the LA Lakers contend for at least a play-in spot. The time he spent on the sidelines could help him become a better player next season.
DeMar DeRozan was thankful for the opportunity to play with LeBron James in the Drew League
It’s not every day that the Drew League gets to see Crypto.com Arena’s most prized performer. LeBron James brought that opportunity to the neighborhood gym, suiting up with DeMar DeRozan in the renowned pro-am tourney.
The LA Lakers superstar brought the house down not just with his performance but also with his presence on the court. He allowed people to experience the electricity and energy of a crowd when a G.O.A.T. candidate is in the house.
Here’s what DeRozan had to say about the experience via Caitlyn Holroyd:
"Just to see the kids out there being able to see LeBron James come play in Compton. You cannot beat that. The atmosphere was one of a kind; it was special.”
“I was honored to be a part of it, and I gotta give credit to Bron. You're talking about a guy that's the GOAT in our league, going into his 20th season, going out there playing. What we grew up watching. It was an amazing feeling. I had a great time just being out there, playing with him, obviously.”
LA Lakers legend icon Magic Johnson also appreciated that LeBron James took the time to play for the fans in the Drew League. More than a decade after his first appearance in the pro-am tournament, “King James” continued to be a smashing success.
Jeanie Buss insists the collaborative way is the best way to manage the LA Lakers
Jeanie Buss and the LA Lakers front office have received tremendous flak, particularly over the last two years. Rumors of the team governor’s indecision on critical matters were supposedly one of the most significant issues the team had to solve.
During the offseason, the Lakers hired Phil Jackson for a consultancy role many feared could muddle up the team's management. Last season, Kurt and Linda Rambis consistently grabbed headlines for allegedly getting in the coaching staff's way.
Buss, in an interview with Mark Medina, pushed back on the criticism:
“My style of leadership is to collaborate and to listen. I’m not a ‘my way or the highway’ person. I think it’s important to have good people and let them have a voice."
"Ultimately, I’m the controlling owner. That is what the NBA has, this designation for who’s accountable for all decisions in basketball, and that’s me. Ultimately, I am accountable for it. It’s my style of leadership to be collaborative.”
Several basketball analysts felt that Jeanie Buss was waiting too long on the collaborative process and that things should've been done quicker. How this collaborative strategy affects LeBron James’ extension and the improvement of the roster will be a major factor in the coming months.
Kendrick Nunn learned everything he could watching the LA Lakers play
Kendrick Nunn planned on being one of the essential pieces to the LA Lakers’ rotation last season. A bone bruise that initially didn’t look serious cost him the entire season.
Next season, he will get to prove himself worth the two-year deal the Lakers gave him. While out for the season, the former Miami Heat guard maximized the most out of the situation:
“Last year was a learning process for me, to be honest. I learned a lot sitting on the sideline just watching. The game slowed down a lot for me. I got to see things from a different perspective. So, definitely took a step just in my ability to learn the game," said Nunn.
The LA Lakers hoped that Kendrick Nunn would provide stability in the backcourt. In two seasons with the Miami Heat, he averaged 15 points, 2.9 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game on 45.8% shooting from the field.
He plays with the kind of no-nonsense attitude that new coach Darvin Ham greatly appreciates in players. Nunn’s time on the sidelines could pay off in the long run for the Lakers.
