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LA Lakers superstar LeBron James assured LA Clippers point guard John Wall of his support following the latter’s admission of suicidal thoughts. The former All-Star bravely revealed in a Salvation Army gathering that he considered ending his life due to life’s brutal challenges.
Jeanie Buss is following in the footsteps of his father who never tanked in all the years of guiding the Lakers. LA’s current team governor has vowed she will not sacrifice wins for draft picks.
Plus, Patrick Beverley is the perfect fit around LeBron James and Anthony Davis, according to former NBA player Antonio Daniels. Beverley’s decent 3-point shooting, defense and leadership will go a long way in helping the Lakers next season.
Here are the latest headlines regarding the LA Lakers as of Aug. 30, 2022:
LeBron James has John Wall’s back
John Wall stunned the basketball world when he revealed that he previously had suicidal thoughts during a Salvation Army gathering. The former Washington Wizards superstar narrated how the past few years nearly pushed him over the edge.
LeBron James promptly offered his support:
“[we got your back. Always] And I mean ALWAYS!!!!!!! Don’t ever question it bro!! Proud of you @JohnWall”
Here was Walls’ emotional revelation in an interview hosted by the Salvation Army:
"At one point, I considered committing suicide. Tearing my Achilles, my mom being sick & passing, my grandma passed a year later, all this in the midst of COVID at the same time."
Wall was heavily criticized last season for refusing to push the Houston Rockets to play him. He chose to stay silent while receiving a ton of flak for not helping his team. The five-time All-Star’s openness greatly put things in perspective.
He will now look to have a productive season after joining the LA Clippers this season.
Jeanie Buss declares the LA Lakers will never tank for draft picks
The LA Lakers aren’t known for building through the draft. They usually form their championship teams from blockbuster trades. Several of the Lakers’ most significant players who delivered titles were acquired from other teams.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Wilt Chamberlain, Shaquille O’Neal, Anthony Davis, Pau Gasol and many more came through the LA Lakers’ mystique and clout in trading.
Jeanie Buss, on SiriusXM NBA Radio, reaffirmed her late father, Dr. Jerry Buss’ strategy not to tank to get better draft positioning or get picks.
“Some people may debate the idea of tanking for several years. My dad never did that in 32 years. It’s just not the way he would have seen the Lakers brand to be at the bottom of the standings year after year.
“He always felt that the fans invested their time and their money in your team and you have to perform for them.”
Jeanie Buss is in effect saying that should the LA Lakers disappoint again next season, she likely will not trade the team’s superstars to tank.
Antonio Daniels makes a case for Patrick Beverley as a perfect fit for the LA Lakers
With Kyrie Irving out of reach, the LA Lakers quickly decided to go a different route. They traded Talen Horton-Tucker and Stanley Johnson to the Utah Jazz for Patrick Beverley. It was a move many felt was a significant deal that could pay dividends next season.
On SiriusXM NBA Radio, former player Antonio Daniels shared his thoughts on the Lakers’ biggest offseason move yet:
“That is the best for him. This is a great situation for Patrick Beverley and the Los Angeles Lakers. This is a great trade for them. I know you can look at it in a 'Beverley doesn't score a lot, he doesn't bring the fit. LeBron needs shooting around him, Anthony Davis needs shooting around him.'
“You know what else they need around them? Patrick Beverley. They need this type of guy on their roster. This is a great A-plus trade for the Los Angeles Lakers. I love it for the Lakers.”
Beverley shot only 34.3% from 3-point range last season, the lowest of his career. However, he has usually been dependable from that range and has a career shooting percentage of 37.8% from beyond the arc.
Even if his long-range shooting continues to dip, his defense and hustle will be badly needed by the LA Lakers. LA struggled heavily on those fronts last season.
Several former players, including Lakers legends Magic Johnson and James Worthy, lambasted the team for their lack of effort on defense. Beverley can make sure the Lakers will not be lacking in that department.
